Numbers 26:48 kjv
Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:
Numbers 26:48 nkjv
The sons of Naphtali according to their families were: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites;
Numbers 26:48 niv
The descendants of Naphtali by their clans were: through Jahzeel, the Jahzeelite clan; through Guni, the Gunite clan;
Numbers 26:48 esv
The sons of Naphtali according to their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites;
Numbers 26:48 nlt
These were the clans descended from the sons of Naphtali: The Jahzeelite clan, named after their ancestor Jahzeel.
The Gunite clan, named after their ancestor Guni.
Numbers 26 48 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 26 | (The entire chapter details the second census...) | The overarching context of the census. |
| Num 26:52-56 | "To these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. To the larger..." | Purpose of census for land inheritance. |
| Num 1 | (Describes the first census of Israel...) | God's prior command for an orderly census. |
| Gen 46:24 | "The sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem." | Original listing of Naphtali's sons. |
| 1 Chr 7:13 | "The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum, sons of Bilhah." | Parallel genealogy confirming Naphtali's sons. |
| Gen 30:8 | "Then Rachel said, 'With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed!' So she named him Naphtali." | Naphtali's birth and the meaning of his name. |
| Gen 49:21 | "Naphtali is a doe let loose that yields beautiful fawns." | Jacob's prophetic blessing for Naphtali. |
| Deut 33:23 | "Of Naphtali he said: 'O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord, possess the lake and the south.'" | Moses' prophetic blessing for Naphtali's prosperity and land. |
| Josh 19:32-39 | "The sixth lot came out for the people of Naphtali, for the people of Naphtali according to their clans..." | Fulfillment of the land inheritance for Naphtali's tribe. |
| Isa 9:1-2 | "But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish... Galilee of the Gentiles... The people who walked in darkness..." | Prophecy fulfilled by Christ in Naphtali's territory. |
| Matt 4:13, 15 | "And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken..." | Fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy through Jesus' ministry. |
| Rev 7:6 | "From the tribe of Naphtali 12,000 were sealed..." | Naphtali's enduring place in God's future plan. |
| Num 1:47-49 | "But the Levites were not listed among them by their ancestral tribe... because the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying, 'Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list...'" | Census for specific purposes, with intentional exclusions. |
| Gen 12:7 | "Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.'" | God's original promise of land, foundational to the census. |
| Exod 1:7 | "But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them." | Fulfillment of God's promise of multiplying descendants. |
| Deut 7:9 | "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love..." | God's faithfulness to His covenant, seen in the census. |
| Josh 21:45 | "Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass." | God's promises fulfilled, including land distribution. |
| Judg 5:18 | "Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field." | Naphtali's role and commitment in Israel's history. |
| Neh 7:5 | "My God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the common people for enrollment by genealogy." | The importance of genealogies for God's people's order. |
| 1 Cor 14:33, 40 | "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace... But all things should be done decently and in order." | God's character as a God of order reflected in the census. |
| Rom 11:29 | "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." | God's persistent plan for Israel despite human failures. |
Numbers 26 verses
Numbers 26 48 Meaning
Numbers 26:48 records a portion of the second census of Israel, specifically enumerating the male descendants of Naphtali, Jacob's sixth son. This verse identifies Jahzeel and Guni as direct sons of Naphtali and details the formation of their respective family clans: the Jahzeelites and the Gunites. This meticulous count establishes the tribal and clan identity, which was crucial for their orderly organization, military readiness, and particularly, the just distribution of the Promised Land among the families according to their numbers.
Numbers 26 48 Context
Numbers chapter 26 records the second census of the Israelites in the plains of Moab, specifically taken "after the plague" that struck the nation due to their unfaithfulness (Num 25). This census occurs almost 40 years after the first census at Mount Sinai (Num 1). The previous generation, marked by disobedience and rebellion, perished in the wilderness, as foretold by God (Num 14:29-30). This new census thus lists the new generation destined to enter and inherit the Promised Land. The purpose is not merely a numerical count but a crucial administrative act: to assess the nation's military strength and, more significantly, to provide the basis for the allocation of tribal and family land inheritances when they settle in Canaan. Each family's strength dictated its portion of the land (Num 26:52-56). Verse 48 specifically focuses on Naphtali, the sixth son of Jacob, highlighting the continued divine order and attention to each lineage in preparation for fulfilling God's covenant promises of land.
Numbers 26 48 Word analysis
Of the sons of Naphtali: Signifies direct descent from Naphtali, one of Jacob's twelve sons, who founded one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This establishes tribal identity, crucial for the structured life and inheritance of the nation.
after their families: The Hebrew word for "families" is mišpāḥôt (מִשְׁפָּחֹת), denoting clans or family units larger than individual households but smaller than a full tribe. This indicates the meticulous subdivision within the tribe, essential for a fair distribution of the land. God's order extends to the smallest definable unit within the covenant community.
of Jahzeel: The Hebrew name is Yaḥtsəʾēl (יַחְצְאֵל). It means "God divides" or "God apportions." This name holds significant theological weight in the context of a census intended for land apportionment. It points to God as the sovereign disposer of inheritance, aligning with the imminent division of Canaan among the tribes. He is consistently listed as a son of Naphtali in various genealogies.
the family of the Jahzeelites: This phrase follows a standard biblical pattern (X, the family of X-ites) indicating the formation of a clan or sub-tribe based on the patriarch's name. This precisely delineates the group that would receive an inheritance as a collective unit derived from Jahzeel.
of Guni: The Hebrew name is Gūnî (גּוּנִי). Its meaning is debated but commonly understood as "my garden" or "my protection." Like Jahzeel, he is consistently identified as another son of Naphtali.
the family of the Gunites: Again, following the standard naming convention for a clan descending from Guni. This confirms another distinct family unit within the tribe of Naphtali that would participate in the upcoming land distribution.
Words-group analysis:
- "Of the sons of Naphtali after their families": This phrase emphasizes the precise, divinely ordained structure of the Israelite nation. It is not a chaotic mass, but a people organized by genealogical lineage into tribes and families. This order is fundamental to God's covenant plan, enabling the fair and systematic allocation of the promised inheritance.
- "of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites": This pattern of naming the patriarch followed by his resulting clan demonstrates the detailed nature of God's concern for His people and the continuity of His promises through specific family lines. It signifies God's recognition of individual families as distinct entities within the larger tribal framework, each deserving of an inheritance in the land promised to their ancestors.
Numbers 26 48 Bonus section
The inclusion of such detailed family listings in the Bible, like the one in Numbers 26:48, emphasizes the concrete, historical reality of God's interactions with humanity. These genealogies are not mere dry lists but a testament to the divine fulfillment of promises across generations, anchoring faith in the specifics of God's work. The meticulous nature highlights that every part of Israel's national structure, down to individual families, was significant to God for His divine purposes, particularly regarding the land promised for their habitation and as a precursor to the coming Messiah from a specific lineage.
Numbers 26 48 Commentary
Numbers 26:48, though appearing as a simple genealogical record, holds profound significance. It reflects God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises, despite the disobedience of the previous generation. This meticulously detailed census underscores divine order and preparation. It serves as a bridge, linking the promise of numerous descendants given to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) to its tangible fulfillment in the burgeoning nation now poised to inherit the land. Each listed family unit, even these specific descendants of Naphtali, represents a part of the whole that God shepherds with precision. This methodical accounting reinforces that God remembers every individual and family within His larger purpose, providing an ordered path for their entrance into their God-allotted inheritance.