Nu. 26: Census II

Numbers 26:65 "For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun."

OK, well that plague back in Numbers 16 wiped out a bunch of people, and God decided to have Moses take a second census. The first being back in chapter one. This census numbered how many men there were 20 or older who could serve in the army.

Reuben's descendants (from four clans) numbered 43,730. Down from 46,500. This was the clan of Dathan and Abiram who rebelled. Korah's line was not wiped out though. Verse 10 points out that this die-off was a warning sign. Not to rebel, probably.

Simeon's descendants (from five clans) numbered 22,200. Way down from 59,300.

Gad's descendants (from seven clans) numbered 40,500. Down from 45,650.

Judah's descendants (from three clans) numbered 76,500. Up from 74,600.

Issachar's descendants (from four clans) numbered 64,300. Up from 54,400.

Zebulun's descendants (from three clans) numbered 60,500. Up from 57,400.

Joseph's descendants (from five clans of Manasseh and Ephraim) numbered 52,700 and 32,500, respectively. Manasseh went way up from 32,200 and Ephraim went down from 40,500.

Benjamin's descendants (from five clans) numbered 45,600. Up from 35,400.

Dan's descendants (from the Shuhamite clan) numbered 64,400. Up from 62,700.

Asher's descendants (from three clans) numbered 53,400. Up from 41,500.

Naphtali's descendants (from four clans) numbered 45,400. Down from 53,400.

The total was 601,730. Down from 603,550.

The land was distributed as inheritance, based on the number of names. Interesting that no adults counted in the first census survived for the second one (except Caleb, Joshua and Moses), just as God promised in Numbers 14.

I wonder if these Israelites kind of viewed them as sort of father figures?