NUMBERS LESSON 33
We will begin this lesson in Numbers 26:38 "The sons of Benjamin
after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel,
the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the
Ahiramites:"
In the last lesson, the LORD told Moses and Eleazar to number the
males 20 years old and older, who were able to go to war. Benjamin was
the youngest son of Jacob. His mother was Jacob's beloved Rachel. The
brother of Benjamin, who had the same mother, was Joseph.
Numbers 26:39 "Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of
Hupham, the family of the Huphamites." Numbers 26:40 "And the sons of
Bela were Ard and Naaman: [of Ard], the family of the Ardites: [and]
of Naaman, the family of the Naamites." Numbers 26:41 "These [are]
the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered
of them [were] forty and five thousand and six hundred."
The tribe of Benjamin at this counting, numbered 45,600. Their
count earlier on this wilderness wandering was 35,400. We see this
family has increased in size by 10,200.
Numbers 26:42 "These [are] the sons of Dan after their families:
of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These [are] the families of
Dan after their families." Numbers 26:43 "All the families of the
Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, [were]
threescore and four thousand and four hundred."
The number of Dan's tribe at this counting was 64,400. At the
first census, they numbered 62,700. They have increased by 1,700.
Numbers 26:44 "[Of] the children of Asher after their families:
of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the
Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites." Numbers 26:45 "Of
the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of
Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites." Numbers 26:46 "And the name
of the daughter of Asher [was] Sarah." Numbers 26:47 "These [are] the
families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of
them; [who were] fifty and three thousand and four hundred."
Asher's descendents at this count were 53,400. The earlier count
on Asher's descendents was 41,500. They had increased by 11,900.
Numbers 26:48 "[Of] the sons of Naphtali after their families:
of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the
Gunites:" Numbers 26:49 "Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of
Shillem, the family of the Shillemites." Numbers 26:50 "These [are]
the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that
were numbered of them [were] forty and five thousand and four
hundred."
The sons of Naphtali who were counted here were 45,400. The
earlier count was 53,400. We find they decreased by 8,000.
Numbers 26:51 "These [were] the numbered of the children of
Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty."
The number counted, here, of all the tribes were 601,730. The
number counted at the beginning of the journey was 603,550. There was
a small decrease of the number of people who began the trip, because
of the judgements from God that came upon them for sin. There were
1,820 fewer than started. This is almost the same number that started.
Numbers 26:52 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
The difference, here, is that the LORD speaks to Moses alone.
Numbers 26:53 "Unto these the land shall be divided for an
inheritance according to the number of names."
The inheritance of land alloted will be according to how many
people each tribe has.
Numbers 26:54 "To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and
to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his
inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him."
God wanted all of them to have their allotment equally.
Numbers 26:55 "Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot:
according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall
inherit."
This is saying rather than each one choosing what they wanted,
and having an argument about the division, God will have them to cast
lots.
Numbers 26:56 "According to the lot shall the possession thereof
be divided between many and few."
The lot decides the situation of each person's inheritance. This
is just saying, that those who are larger in number will have the
larger allotment.
Numbers 26:57 "And these [are] they that were numbered of the
Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the
Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the
family of the Merarites."
Now, we see the tribes of the Levites. They were not numbered
with the others, because they do not go to war. They are the servants
of the Lord. They take care of the religious side of the life of the
Israelites. They take care of the tabernacle, also.
Numbers 26:58 "These [are] the families of the Levites: the
family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of
the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the
Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram."
Amram was the father of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
Numbers 26:59 "And the name of Amram's wife [was] Jochebed, the
daughter of Levi, whom [her mother] bare to Levi in Egypt: and she
bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister."
Jochebed was of Levi, as well, as Amram. We see that both parents
of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were from the Levitical tribe.
Numbers 26:60 "And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar,
and Ithamar."
Aaron was the first high priest. His sons would have been the
priests in the temple. They were all to serve the Lord in the temple.
Nadab and Abihu were killed with fire from off the altar of God. They
carried strange fire into the tabernacle. Eleazar took over as high
priest, when Aaron died.
Numbers 26:61 "And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered
strange fire before the LORD."
The strange fire, probably, was the fact that they were drinking.
Numbers 26:62 "And those that were numbered of them were twenty
and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they
were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no
inheritance given them among the children of Israel."
The males of the Levites that were numbered at the end of the
journey across the wilderness was 23,000. At the beginning of the
journey they were numbered 22,000. This is an additional 1,000 people.
Numbers 26:63 "These [are] they that were numbered by Moses and
Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains
of Moab by Jordan [near] Jericho."
This is just saying, that Moses did exactly as God had commanded
him to do. They numbered the people.
Numbers 26:64 "But among these there was not a man of them whom
Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children
of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai." Numbers 26:65 "For the LORD
had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there
was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and
Joshua the son of Nun."
Those who were numbered as men in the first census are all dead,
except for Joshua and Caleb. God let them all die off, because of
their lack of faith. The new generation of their descendents will
inherit the promised land. Twelve men searched the promised land 40
days, and only two, Caleb and Joshua, brought a good report. They
wandered 40 years to compensate for their 40 days of unbelief.
Numbers 33 Questions
1. Who did God tell to number the people?
2. _________ was the youngest son of Jacob.
3. Who was his mother?
4. His brother, who had the same mother, was __________.
5. How many had the family of Benjamin increased at this counting?
6. How many had Dan's tribe increased at this counting?
7. Asher's tribe increased by what number?
8. Naphtali's tribe decreased by how many?
9. How many fewer, at this count, were the entire nation of Israel?
10. How shall the land be divided?
11. How will they decide, who gets what parcel of land?
12. How will they make the division fair for all?
13. Who were included in the families of the Levites?
14. What is different about the Levites?
15. Who begat Amram?
16. Who was Amram?
17. Amram's wife was _____________.
18. What tribe were they both from?
19. Who were Amram's and Jochebed's children?
20. Who was the first high priest?
21. What happened to his two oldest sons?
22. Why did this happen to them?
23. What was the strange fire, probably?
24. By how many did the Levite tribe grow during the wilderness
wanderings?
25. Who took Aaron's place as high priest, when Aaron died?
26. Who were the only ones, of the twelve spies, who lived to see the
promised land?
27. Why did they wander 40 years in the wilderness?
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