Numbers 26:26 kjv
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.
Numbers 26:26 nkjv
The sons of Zebulun according to their families were: of Sered, the family of the Sardites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.
Numbers 26:26 niv
The descendants of Zebulun by their clans were: through Sered, the Seredite clan; through Elon, the Elonite clan; through Jahleel, the Jahleelite clan.
Numbers 26:26 esv
The sons of Zebulun, according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.
Numbers 26:26 nlt
These were the clans descended from the sons of Zebulun: The Seredite clan, named after their ancestor Sered.
The Elonite clan, named after their ancestor Elon.
The Jahleelite clan, named after their ancestor Jahleel.
Numbers 26 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 26:1 | "Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel..." | Command for the second census after the plague. |
| Num 26:20 | "Of Judah, according to their families: of Shelah... Perez... Zerah." | Lists Judah's main tribal divisions. |
| Num 1:26-27 | "Of the children of Judah, their generations... enumerated seventy-four thousand six hundred." | First census; compares with Judah's numbers here. |
| Gen 38:30 | "He called his name Zerah." | Birth of Zerah, son of Judah. |
| Gen 46:12 | "The sons of Judah: Er... Shelah, Perez, and Zerah..." | Lists Judah's primary sons in Jacob's household. |
| 1 Chron 2:4 | "And Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah." | Confirms Zerah as Judah's son through Tamar. |
| Josh 14:1 | "These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan..." | Distribution of land by tribal and family lots. |
| Num 26:52-56 | "To these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names... according to the size of its tribe." | Census links directly to land apportionment. |
| Num 36:1-12 | "The heads of the fathers' houses of the family of the children of Gilead... spoke before Moses..." | Regulations on tribal land inheritance (daughters). |
| Deut 1:15 | "And I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and made them heads over you..." | Emphasis on tribal and family leadership structure. |
| Exod 6:14-25 | Lists genealogies of Ruben, Simeon, and Levi for their families. | Similar precise family records for leadership roles. |
| Neh 7:5 | "And my God put into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the common people, for enrollment by genealogy." | Importance of family records for post-exilic return. |
| Ezra 2:59 | "Some of those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer could not prove their father's house or their descent..." | Shows consequences of lost genealogies (for priestly service). |
| Heb 7:1-3 | Explains Melchizedek's lack of known genealogy and its significance. | Contrasts human genealogies with a higher priesthood. |
| Matt 1:2-3 | "Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar..." | Mentions Zerah in the Messianic lineage of Jesus. |
| Rev 5:5 | "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered..." | Highlight's Judah's tribal significance in the New Testament. |
| Gen 49:10 | "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet..." | Prophecy confirming Judah's leadership and enduring lineage. |
| 1 Chron 4:24 | "The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul..." | Shaul also appears in Simeon's genealogy, emphasizing distinctness in Numbers. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." | Underlines God's orderliness, reflected in precise records. |
| Rom 9:4-5 | "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ..." | Significance of Israel's heritage, tied to these tribal lists. |
Numbers 26 verses
Numbers 26 26 Meaning
Numbers 26:26 provides a specific genealogical enumeration within the tribe of Judah during the second census. It details two family lines descended from Zerah and Shaul, establishing their distinct clans, the Zerhites and the Shaulites, respectively. This precise accounting was vital for affirming tribal identity and ensuring the proper distribution of the land of Canaan by inheritance, fulfilling God's promise.
Numbers 26 26 Context
Numbers chapter 26 records the second census of the Israelites, conducted on the plains of Moab before entering the Promised Land. This census followed a devastating plague (Num 25), which decimated many from the generation that had rebelled against the LORD. Unlike the first census in Numbers 1, which primarily prepared Israel for organization in the wilderness and for military readiness, this census served a crucial purpose: to ascertain the population for the impending division of the land of Canaan by tribal and family inheritance (Num 26:52-56). Verse 26, specifically listing family branches within the prominent tribe of Judah, reinforces the meticulous care taken to account for every valid heir. The enumeration shows God's faithfulness to preserve His people and prepare them to receive their promised inheritance, despite the judgments endured in the wilderness.
Numbers 26 26 Word analysis
- Of Zerah (לְזֶרַח֙ - lə-zeraḥ): "Zerah" (meaning "bright, rising" or "scarlet" due to his distinct mark at birth) was a son of Judah and Tamar (Gen 38:30; 1 Chron 2:4). His mention here indicates a direct and recognized line within the Judahite tribe. The prefix "לְ" (le-) implies "to, for, belonging to," specifying the origin of the subsequent family.
- the family of the Zerhites (מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הַזַּרְחִ֑י - mišpaḥaṯ haz-zarḥî):
- the family (mišpaḥaṯ): This Hebrew term (mishpachah) refers to a clan, a kinship group larger than an immediate household but smaller than a full tribe (shevet). It emphasizes collective identity and responsibility, particularly regarding inheritance and military service. The precise identification of mishpachot was vital for equitable land division.
- of the Zerhites (haz-zarḥî): This is a patronymic suffix, indicating "descendants of Zerah." It affirms their lineage and therefore their entitlement within the tribe of Judah.
- of Shaul (לְשָׁא֛וּל - lə-šā’ûl): "Shaul" (meaning "asked for"). In this specific enumeration under the tribe of Judah, this Shaul is distinct from Shaul, the son of Simeon by a Canaanite woman (Gen 46:10; Exod 6:15; 1 Chron 4:24). While the primary Judahite genealogies in Genesis and Chronicles do not explicitly list a Shaul as a direct son of Zerah, within the detailed structure of Numbers 26:20-22 and 26, Shaul is presented as a distinct, significant family head within Judah, possibly a less prominent son or a clan that stemmed from a secondary Judahite branch not highlighted elsewhere. For the purpose of the census and land allocation, his family was a recognized unit.
- the family of the Shaulites (מִשְׁפַּחַת֙ הַשָּׁאוּלִֽי׃ - mišpaḥaṯ haš-šā’ûlî): Similarly, mishpachah (family/clan) denotes a recognized social unit, and haš-šā’ûlî is the patronymic "descendants of Shaul." This confirms the existence of a distinct sub-clan named after Shaul within Judah's tribal structure, carrying the same rights and responsibilities as the Zerhites.
Words-group analysis:
- "Of Zerah... of the Zerhites; of Shaul... of the Shaulites": This parallel construction "לְ[ancestor] מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הַזַּרְחִ֑י" is common throughout Numbers 26. It serves as a clear, formulaic method for listing each sub-family within a tribe. This repetition emphasizes the systematic and thorough nature of the census, highlighting that no lineage, no matter how small, was overlooked in the divinely orchestrated plan for the nation and its inheritance.
Numbers 26 26 Bonus section
The rigorous nature of these censuses (Numbers 1 and 26) reveals a fundamental principle of God's ordered kingdom: structure, accountability, and the fulfillment of promises. The family names, stretching back to their patriarchal founders, formed the legal basis for inheriting God's covenant land, foreshadowing the spiritual inheritance believers receive through Christ (Eph 1:11). The very act of numbering was a divine directive, establishing boundaries and roles within the community. For the original Israelite audience, understanding one's precise family and tribal affiliation was critical for identity, social order, and especially for their portion in the land—a tangible manifestation of God's blessing. This detailed record of clans also served as a safeguard against potential disputes over land rights once Israel settled in Canaan.
Numbers 26 26 Commentary
Numbers 26:26, though seemingly a dry genealogical record, profoundly underscores the meticulousness of God's providence and the precision of His covenant promises. Each enumerated family, even these less prominent sub-clans within Judah, was a designated heir to the Promised Land. This census reaffirmed their legal claim to the inheritance that had been given by divine decree centuries prior to Abraham. The exact counting ensured justice in land distribution and preserved the unique tribal identities that formed the backbone of the nation of Israel. It represents the transition from a generation that died in the wilderness due to disobedience to a new, counted generation poised for blessing and fulfillment, highlighting God's faithfulness despite human failure. The continuity of these family lines, especially from Judah, also foreshadows the preserving of the lineage leading to the Messiah.