Numbers 26 60

Numbers 26:60 kjv

And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 26:60 nkjv

To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Numbers 26:60 niv

Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Numbers 26:60 esv

And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 26:60 nlt

To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 26 60 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Ex 6:23Aaron married Elisheba... and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.Introduction of Aaron's family and sons.
Lev 8:1-36Moses consecrated Aaron and his sons as priests.Ordination of Aaron and his sons.
Lev 10:1-2Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorized fire... and died.Consequence of unholy offering by sons.
Lev 10:6-7Moses said to Aaron and his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar...Eleazar and Ithamar continue after their brothers' deaths.
Num 3:2-4These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar... Nadab and Abihu died.Repeats the names, notes the deaths.
Num 4:16Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to have charge of the whole tabernacle...Eleazar's significant role in Tabernacle oversight.
Num 20:25-28Aaron will be gathered to his people... strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son.Succession of high priesthood to Eleazar.
Deut 10:6Aaron died there and Eleazar his son ministered as priest in his place.Confirmation of Eleazar's high priestly succession.
Judg 20:28Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood ministering before God.Tracing priesthood through Eleazar's line.
1 Chr 6:3The sons of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.Genealogical list confirming Aaron's sons.
1 Chr 24:1-2The divisions of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar... But Nadab and Abihu died...Division of priesthood based on surviving sons.
Ezra 7:1-5Ezra... the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah... son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron.High priestly lineage tracing back to Eleazar.
Neh 12:1-7The priests and Levites who came up with Zerubbabel...Post-exilic priestly lineage continuity.
Heb 5:1Every high priest selected from among the people is appointed to represent them...General principle of human high priesthood.
Heb 7:11-12If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood... then why was there still need for another priest...?Comparison of Levitical priesthood to Christ's.
Heb 7:24But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.Christ's eternal priesthood, superseding Aaronic.
Heb 8:4If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.Distinction between earthly and heavenly priesthood.
Heb 9:11-12But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here...Christ as the ultimate High Priest.
1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation...Believers as spiritual priesthood.
Rev 1:6To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever!Believers' priestly role in New Covenant.

Numbers 26 verses

Numbers 26 60 Meaning

Numbers 26:60 enumerates the four sons born to Aaron, the first high priest of Israel: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. This verse, situated within the second census of the Israelite tribes, specifically details the foundational lineage for the Levitical priesthood, essential for the worship and spiritual life of the nation. It records the complete offspring of Aaron who formed the core of the priestly family, establishing their historical identity within God's people.

Numbers 26 60 Context

Numbers Chapter 26 records the second census of the Israelite people taken by Moses and Eleazar in the plains of Moab, specifically before entering the promised land. Its primary purpose was to determine the strength of each tribe for military service and to provide a basis for the equitable distribution of the land of Canaan by tribal inheritance. Crucially, the Levites, who were not included in the main count for military purposes or land inheritance (Num 26:62), are counted separately for their service to the tabernacle (Num 26:57-60). Within this context, verse 60 highlights the core priestly lineage of Aaron, the brother of Moses. This detail reinforces the divine establishment of the Aaronic priesthood as a distinct and foundational office within Israel's spiritual framework, ensuring proper genealogical succession for its sacred duties. The mention of all four sons, even two who had already perished, underscores the complete genealogical record and the origin of the priesthood, rather than focusing solely on active priests at that moment.

Word Analysis

  • And to Aaron: (וּלְאַהֲרֹן - u-le-aharon) - "Aaron" (אַהֲרֹן - Aharon) means "mountain of strength" or "enlightened one." This explicitly names the individual chosen by God to be the head of the priestly line. The preformative "לְ" (le-) denotes "to" or "for," emphasizing that the sons belonged to Aaron and through him, to this special calling.
  • were born: (יֻלַּד - yul·lad) - The Qal passive verb "yul·lad" implies "was born" or "were given birth to." It highlights the natural, biological succession, affirming that the priesthood was designated to a specific lineage established through natural procreation, though divinely appointed.
  • Nadab: (נָדָב - Nadav) - Means "generous," "noble," or "willing." He was Aaron's firstborn son. His inclusion here, despite his previous death due to offering "unauthorized fire" (Lev 10:1-2), is crucial for genealogical accuracy, tracing the full original line.
  • and Abihu: (וַאֲבִיהוּא - va-Avi·hu) - Means "He is my father" or "My Father (God) is He." He was Aaron's second son, also sharing in the fate of Nadab by offering unauthorized fire. Their inclusion reaffirms the historical record of Aaron's immediate descendants, providing a complete familial snapshot before the events that tragically altered the high priestly succession.
  • Eleazar: (אֶלְעָזָר - El·ʿa·zar) - Means "God has helped." He was Aaron's third son, who would succeed his father as High Priest. His mention ensures the continuity of the legitimate priestly line.
  • and Ithamar: (וְאִיתָמָר - ve-i·ta·mar) - Means "land of palms" or "palm-island." He was Aaron's fourth son. He and Eleazar survived and continued priestly service, heading different divisions of the priesthood.

Words-group Analysis

  • To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar: This complete list of Aaron's sons serves several key purposes. First, it genealogically grounds the entire Israelite priesthood within Aaron's immediate family. Second, by listing all four, it acknowledges the full lineage of Aaron as divinely chosen to serve, even those who later failed in their duties (Nadab and Abihu). This full familial detail is vital for the census, which is about tracing established families and their designated roles and inheritances, reinforcing the divinely appointed nature of the priesthood and its continuation through Eleazar and Ithamar.

Numbers 26 60 Commentary

Numbers 26:60, while appearing as a simple genealogical listing within a broader census, carries profound theological weight. It affirms the divinely established lineage of the Israelite priesthood through Aaron and his sons. The inclusion of Nadab and Abihu, despite their earlier deaths for desecrating God's worship, emphasizes that this census records the entirety of Aaron's progeny chosen for the priesthood, marking the genesis of this sacred office within Israel. The verse sets the stage for understanding the continuity of the high priesthood through Eleazar, Aaron's rightful successor, and the broader priestly service through Eleazar and Ithamar's descendants. This fixed, God-ordained family line for ministry prefigures the orderly structure God establishes within His people for worship and service, underscoring the importance of consecrated individuals for specific spiritual functions within the community of faith. It illustrates how even within sacred service, specific boundaries and divine order must be maintained.

Bonus Section

  • The meticulous detailing of the Levites and priestly families within the census underscores the critical importance God placed on the ordered and consecrated nature of worship in Israel. Unlike the other tribes whose worth was measured by military readiness and potential for land inheritance, the Levites' value was solely tied to their service to the Tabernacle and their sacred duties.
  • The very presence of this priestly line ensured that Israel had designated intercessors and mediators who could offer sacrifices for sin and perform the rituals that pointed toward the coming perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Aaronic priesthood, as represented by Eleazar and Ithamar's descendants, was indispensable for maintaining covenant relationship between God and His people until the ultimate High Priest, Jesus, superseded it.
  • While this verse details a specific family lineage for an Old Testament role, the concept of a "royal priesthood" in the New Testament (1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6) shows God's broader plan for His people to collectively serve as mediators, worshipping Him and proclaiming His praises to the world.