Numbers 26:37 kjv
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.
Numbers 26:37 nkjv
These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them: thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph according to their families.
Numbers 26:37 niv
These were the clans of Ephraim; those numbered were 32,500. These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.
Numbers 26:37 esv
These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, 32,500. These are the sons of Joseph according to their clans.
Numbers 26:37 nlt
These were the clans of Ephraim. Their registered troops numbered 32,500. These clans of Manasseh and Ephraim were all descendants of Joseph.
Numbers 26 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 1:2-3 | "Take a census... from twenty years old and above, all who are able to go to war..." | Purpose of the census, eligible individuals. |
| Num 26:2 | "Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel... all who are able to go to war." | The general directive for this specific census. |
| Gen 46:14 | "The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel." | Identifies Elon as a son of Zebulun. |
| Num 26:26 | "The sons of Zebulun... of Elon, the family of the Elonites." | Contextualizes the Elonite family within Zebulun. |
| Ex 30:12 | "When you take the census of the children of Israel... everyone shall give a ransom..." | Previous census context, associated practice. |
| 1 Chr 7:6-12 | "The sons of Issachar: Tola... The sons of Benjamin..." | Examples of detailed tribal genealogies. |
| Josh 14:1 | "And these are the territories... divided among them..." | Division of land by tribe and family. |
| Josh 17:4 | "So Moses had given them an inheritance... among their fathers’ brothers." | Daughters of Zelophehad received land due to male family extinction, linked to census for inheritance. |
| Neh 7:6-59 | "These are the people of the province... from the children of Parosh..." | Detailed return from exile, census-like record keeping. |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations... apportioned them an inheritance..." | God's faithfulness in providing inherited land. |
| Isa 60:22 | "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation..." | Echoes theme of multiplication of God's people. |
| Gen 12:2 | "I will make you a great nation..." | God's covenant promise of numerous descendants. |
| Gen 15:5 | "Look now toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to number them..." | God's promise of innumerable offspring. |
| Deut 7:9 | "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God..." | God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. |
| Deut 8:2 | "And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness..." | New generation remembering God's guidance. |
| Heb 3:17-19 | "And with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned..." | Contrast: previous generation's failure vs. new generation's readiness. |
| Eph 3:15 | "from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named," | Concept of God as the ultimate source of every "family." |
| Rev 7:4 | "And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand..." | Divine enumeration in the eschatological context. |
| Lk 10:20 | "Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." | Heavenly register of God's people. |
| Rom 9:6-8 | "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel... the children of the promise are counted as the offspring." | Focus on spiritual lineage and promise, beyond mere physical counting. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the congregations of the saints." | Emphasizes God's orderly nature, reflected in precise census. |
Numbers 26 verses
Numbers 26 37 Meaning
Numbers 26:37 states that the counted members of the Elonite family, a clan within the tribe of Zebulun, numbered sixty-four thousand four hundred. This precise enumeration represents the eligible fighting men (twenty years and older) from this specific sub-group, recorded as part of the second national census of Israel. This census took place on the plains of Moab, signifying God's detailed knowledge and organization of His people, preparing them for the division of the promised land.
Numbers 26 37 Context
Numbers chapter 26 records the second census of the Israelites, conducted on the plains of Moab before their entry into the promised land. This census is crucial, marking a distinct generational shift from the generation that perished in the wilderness due to disobedience. Unlike the first census in Numbers 1, which counted the fighting men at Sinai, this census directly determined the apportionment of land inheritance (Num 26:52-56). The specific verse (26:37) provides the count for one of the smaller family units within the tribe of Zebulun, demonstrating the meticulous detail with which God organized His people for their future life in Canaan, where land was divided according to the numerical size of each family and clan. This highlights God's order, faithfulness, and the renewal of His covenant promises to a new, ready generation.
Numbers 26 37 Word analysis
- These (אֵלֶּה, 'elleh): A demonstrative pronoun, pointing back to the specific lineage and descendants of Elon, son of Zebulun, just detailed in the preceding verses (Num 26:36). It signifies a direct continuation and summation of the genealogical record.
- are (הֵם, hem): The plural third-person pronoun, serving as a copula. It connects the "families" to the count, indicating identity or existence, "these are" or "these constituted."
- the families (מִשְׁפְּחֹת, mishpekhoth): This Hebrew term refers to clans or extended kinship groups, larger than an immediate family but smaller than a tribe. These were crucial administrative and social units in ancient Israel, fundamental for communal identity, military organization, and especially for land inheritance (Josh 15:1).
- of the sons of Elon (לִבְנֵי אֵילוֹן, livne Elon): "Elon" (אֵילוֹן, 'Eilon), meaning "oak" or "terebinth," identifies the patriarchal founder of this particular clan. Emphasizes genealogical identity and lineage within the broader tribal structure of Zebulun (Gen 46:14, Num 26:26).
- according to their numbering (לְפְקֻדֵיהֶם, l'fequdeihem): Derived from the verb פקד (paqad), which means to visit, count, appoint, or muster. This phrase indicates that the figure presented is the result of an official, meticulously recorded census or divine visitation. It stresses divine authorization and precision, as opposed to an informal or human count. This count specifically includes males twenty years and older "who were able to go to war" (Num 26:2).
- sixty-four thousand and four hundred (שִׁשִׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, shishim v'arba'ah 'elef v'arba me'oth): A precise numerical count. The exactitude highlights the meticulous nature of God's record-keeping and the careful divine oversight in preparing the people for the promised land. Such exact figures were essential for equitable land distribution according to the size of each clan, as decreed by God (Num 26:54).
Numbers 26 37 Bonus section
The inclusion of such detailed numbers across multiple families within each tribe emphasizes the profound care and precision of God's organization, in stark contrast to the often chaotic or arbitrary record-keeping of other ancient cultures. This meticulous census also serves as an anti-polemic against the uncertainty or chaos often associated with pagan deities or mere human administration; the God of Israel is a God of order, justice, and faithfulness, meticulously fulfilling His covenant promises through structured planning. Furthermore, the act of "numbering" carries a deep theological weight in the Bible, often indicating divine assessment, visitation, or commissioning (Ex 30:12, Num 1:3). This census, specifically for military strength and land inheritance, symbolizes the transition from nomadic wandering to settled life in a divinely given territory, prepared and equipped by the Lord. It signifies a renewal of purpose and readiness to claim what God had prepared.
Numbers 26 37 Commentary
Numbers 26:37, though seemingly a simple statistic, carries profound theological and practical significance. It demonstrates God's unwavering faithfulness despite the past failures of the first generation; a new generation, counted and ready, is brought to the brink of the promised land. The precision of the census highlights God's meticulous order, demonstrating His foreknowledge and preparation for their future. This divine register served as the blueprint for justly distributing the land by lot and population, ensuring every family received their portion as promised. It speaks to God's attention to detail, His sovereign plan for His people's inheritance, and the importance of an ordered community under His guidance. It serves as a reminder that God governs the details of our lives and purposes, moving us forward into the blessings He has prepared.