Study Desk

The sons of Gad by clans: Zephon and the Zephonite clan, Haggi and the Haggite clan, Shuni and the Shunite clan, Ozni and the Oznite clan, Eri and the Erite clan, Arodi and the Arodite clan, Areli and the Arelite clan. These were the clans of Gad. They numbered 40,500 men.

Er and Onan were sons of Judah who died early on in Canaan. The sons of Judah by clans: Shelah and the Shelanite clan, Perez and the Perezite clan, Zerah and the Zerahite clan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and the Hezronite clan, Hamul and the Hamulite clan. These were the clans of Judah. They numbered 76,500.

The sons of Issachar by clans: Tola and the Tolaite clan, Puah and the Puite clan, Jashub and the Jashubite clan, Shimron and the Shimronite clan. These were the clans of Issachar. They numbered 64,300.

The sons of Zebulun by clans: Sered and the Seredite clan, Elon and the Elonite clan, Jahleel and the Jahleelite clan. These were the clans of Zebulun. They numbered 60,500.

The sons of Joseph by clans through Manasseh and Ephraim. Through Manasseh: Makir and the Makirite clan (now Makir was the father of Gilead), Gilead and the Gileadite clan. The sons of Gilead: Iezer and the Iezerite clan, Helek and the Helekite clan, Asriel and the Asrielite clan, Shechem and the Shechemite clan, Shemida and the Shemidaite clan, Hepher and the Hepherite clan. Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These were the clans of Manasseh. They numbered 52,700.

The sons of Ephraim by clans: Shuthelah and the Shuthelahite clan, Beker and the Bekerite clan, Tahan and the Tahanite clan. The sons of Shuthelah: Eran and the Eranite clan. These were the clans of Ephraim. They numbered 32,500. These are all the sons of Joseph by their clans.

The sons of Benjamin by clans: Bela and the Belaite clan, Ashbel and the Ashbelite clan, Ahiram and the Ahiramite clan, Shupham and the Shuphamite clan, Hupham and the Huphamite clan. The sons of Bela through Ard and Naaman: Ard and the Ardite clan, Naaman and the Naamite clan. These were the clans of Benjamin. They numbered 45,600.

The sons of Dan by clan: Shuham and the Shuhamite clan. These are the clans of Dan, all Shuhamite clans. They numbered 64,400.

The sons of Asher by clan: Imnah and the Imnite clan, Ishvi and the Ishvite clan, Beriah and the Beriite clan. The sons of Beriah: Heber and the Heberite clan, Malkiel and the Malkielite clan. Asher also had a daughter, Serah. These were the clans of Asher. They numbered 53,400.

The sons of Naphtali by clans: Jahzeel and the Jahzeelite clan, Guni and the Gunite clan, Jezer and the Jezerite clan, Shillem and the Shillemite clan. These were the clans of Naphtali. They numbered 45,400.

These are the numberings of the Levites by clan: Gershon and the Gershonite clan, Kohath and the Kohathite clan, Merari and the Merarite clan. The Levite clans also included: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. Kohath was the father of Amram. Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, born into the Levite family during the Egyptian years. Jochebed bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam to Amram. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; however, Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized sacrifice in the presence of God . The numbering of Levite males one month and older came to 23,000. They hadn't been counted in with the rest of the People of Israel because they didn't inherit any land. These are the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, the People of Israel counted in the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho. Not one of them had been among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest in the census of the People of Israel taken in the Wilderness of Sinai. For God had said of them, "They'll die, die in the wilderness—not one of them will be left except for Caleb son of Jephunneh, and Joshua son of Nun."

Census on the Plains of Moab After the plague God said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, "Number the entire community of Israel by families—count every person who is twenty years and older who is able to serve in the army of Israel." Obeying God 's command, Moses and Eleazar the priest addressed them on the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho: "Count off from age twenty and older." The People of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt: Reuben, Israel's firstborn. The sons of Reuben were: Hanoch and the Hanochite clan, Pallu and the Palluite clan, Hezron and the Hezronite clan, Carmi and the Carmite clan. These made up the Reubenite clans. They numbered 43,730. The son of Pallu: Eliab. The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. (These were the same Dathan and Abiram, community leaders from Korah's gang, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the Korah Rebellion against God . The Earth opened its jaws and swallowed them along with Korah's gang who died when the fire ate them up, all 250 of them. After all these years, they're still a warning sign. But the line of Korah did not die out.) The sons of Simeon by clans: Nemuel and the Nemuelite clan, Jamin and the Jaminite clan, Jakin and the Jakinite clan, Zerah and the Zerahite clan, Shaul and the Shaulite clan. These were the clans of Simeon. They numbered 22,200 men. The sons of Gad by clans: Zephon and the Zephonite clan, Haggi and the Haggite clan, Shuni and the Shunite clan, Ozni and the Oznite clan, Eri and the Erite clan, Arodi and the Arodite clan, Areli and the Arelite clan. These were the clans of Gad. They numbered 40,500 men. Er and Onan were sons of Judah who died early on in Canaan. The sons of Judah by clans: Shelah and the Shelanite clan, Perez and the Perezite clan, Zerah and the Zerahite clan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and the Hezronite clan, Hamul and the Hamulite clan. These were the clans of Judah. They numbered 76,500. The sons of Issachar by clans: Tola and the Tolaite clan, Puah and the Puite clan, Jashub and the Jashubite clan, Shimron and the Shimronite clan. These were the clans of Issachar. They numbered 64,300. The sons of Zebulun by clans: Sered and the Seredite clan, Elon and the Elonite clan, Jahleel and the Jahleelite clan. These were the clans of Zebulun. They numbered 60,500. The sons of Joseph by clans through Manasseh and Ephraim. Through Manasseh: Makir and the Makirite clan (now Makir was the father of Gilead), Gilead and the Gileadite clan. The sons of Gilead: Iezer and the Iezerite clan, Helek and the Helekite clan, Asriel and the Asrielite clan, Shechem and the Shechemite clan, Shemida and the Shemidaite clan, Hepher and the Hepherite clan. Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These were the clans of Manasseh. They numbered 52,700. The sons of Ephraim by clans: Shuthelah and the Shuthelahite clan, Beker and the Bekerite clan, Tahan and the Tahanite clan. The sons of Shuthelah: Eran and the Eranite clan. These were the clans of Ephraim. They numbered 32,500. These are all the sons of Joseph by their clans. The sons of Benjamin by clans: Bela and the Belaite clan, Ashbel and the Ashbelite clan, Ahiram and the Ahiramite clan, Shupham and the Shuphamite clan, Hupham and the Huphamite clan. The sons of Bela through Ard and Naaman: Ard and the Ardite clan, Naaman and the Naamite clan. These were the clans of Benjamin. They numbered 45,600. The sons of Dan by clan: Shuham and the Shuhamite clan. These are the clans of Dan, all Shuhamite clans. They numbered 64,400. The sons of Asher by clan: Imnah and the Imnite clan, Ishvi and the Ishvite clan, Beriah and the Beriite clan. The sons of Beriah: Heber and the Heberite clan, Malkiel and the Malkielite clan. Asher also had a daughter, Serah. These were the clans of Asher. They numbered 53,400. The sons of Naphtali by clans: Jahzeel and the Jahzeelite clan, Guni and the Gunite clan, Jezer and the Jezerite clan, Shillem and the Shillemite clan. These were the clans of Naphtali. They numbered 45,400. The total number of the People of Israel: 601,730. God spoke to Moses: "Divide up the inheritance of the land based on population. A larger group gets a larger inheritance; a smaller group gets a smaller inheritance—each gets its inheritance based on the population count. "Make sure that the land is assigned by lot. "Each group's inheritance is based on population, the number of names listed in its ancestral tribe, divided among the many and the few by lot." These are the numberings of the Levites by clan: Gershon and the Gershonite clan, Kohath and the Kohathite clan, Merari and the Merarite clan. The Levite clans also included: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. Kohath was the father of Amram. Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, born into the Levite family during the Egyptian years. Jochebed bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam to Amram. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; however, Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized sacrifice in the presence of God . The numbering of Levite males one month and older came to 23,000. They hadn't been counted in with the rest of the People of Israel because they didn't inherit any land. These are the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, the People of Israel counted in the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho. Not one of them had been among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest in the census of the People of Israel taken in the Wilderness of Sinai. For God had said of them, "They'll die, die in the wilderness—not one of them will be left except for Caleb son of Jephunneh, and Joshua son of Nun."

Census on the Plains of Moab After the plague God said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, "Number the entire community of Israel by families—count every person who is twenty years and older who is able to serve in the army of Israel." Obeying God 's command, Moses and Eleazar the priest addressed them on the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho: "Count off from age twenty and older." The People of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt: Reuben, Israel's firstborn. The sons of Reuben were: Hanoch and the Hanochite clan, Pallu and the Palluite clan, Hezron and the Hezronite clan, Carmi and the Carmite clan. These made up the Reubenite clans. They numbered 43,730. The son of Pallu: Eliab. The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. (These were the same Dathan and Abiram, community leaders from Korah's gang, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the Korah Rebellion against God . The Earth opened its jaws and swallowed them along with Korah's gang who died when the fire ate them up, all 250 of them. After all these years, they're still a warning sign. But the line of Korah did not die out.) The sons of Simeon by clans: Nemuel and the Nemuelite clan, Jamin and the Jaminite clan, Jakin and the Jakinite clan, Zerah and the Zerahite clan, Shaul and the Shaulite clan. These were the clans of Simeon. They numbered 22,200 men. The sons of Gad by clans: Zephon and the Zephonite clan, Haggi and the Haggite clan, Shuni and the Shunite clan, Ozni and the Oznite clan, Eri and the Erite clan, Arodi and the Arodite clan, Areli and the Arelite clan. These were the clans of Gad. They numbered 40,500 men. Er and Onan were sons of Judah who died early on in Canaan. The sons of Judah by clans: Shelah and the Shelanite clan, Perez and the Perezite clan, Zerah and the Zerahite clan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and the Hezronite clan, Hamul and the Hamulite clan. These were the clans of Judah. They numbered 76,500. The sons of Issachar by clans: Tola and the Tolaite clan, Puah and the Puite clan, Jashub and the Jashubite clan, Shimron and the Shimronite clan. These were the clans of Issachar. They numbered 64,300. The sons of Zebulun by clans: Sered and the Seredite clan, Elon and the Elonite clan, Jahleel and the Jahleelite clan. These were the clans of Zebulun. They numbered 60,500. The sons of Joseph by clans through Manasseh and Ephraim. Through Manasseh: Makir and the Makirite clan (now Makir was the father of Gilead), Gilead and the Gileadite clan. The sons of Gilead: Iezer and the Iezerite clan, Helek and the Helekite clan, Asriel and the Asrielite clan, Shechem and the Shechemite clan, Shemida and the Shemidaite clan, Hepher and the Hepherite clan. Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These were the clans of Manasseh. They numbered 52,700. The sons of Ephraim by clans: Shuthelah and the Shuthelahite clan, Beker and the Bekerite clan, Tahan and the Tahanite clan. The sons of Shuthelah: Eran and the Eranite clan. These were the clans of Ephraim. They numbered 32,500. These are all the sons of Joseph by their clans. The sons of Benjamin by clans: Bela and the Belaite clan, Ashbel and the Ashbelite clan, Ahiram and the Ahiramite clan, Shupham and the Shuphamite clan, Hupham and the Huphamite clan. The sons of Bela through Ard and Naaman: Ard and the Ardite clan, Naaman and the Naamite clan. These were the clans of Benjamin. They numbered 45,600. The sons of Dan by clan: Shuham and the Shuhamite clan. These are the clans of Dan, all Shuhamite clans. They numbered 64,400. The sons of Asher by clan: Imnah and the Imnite clan, Ishvi and the Ishvite clan, Beriah and the Beriite clan. The sons of Beriah: Heber and the Heberite clan, Malkiel and the Malkielite clan. Asher also had a daughter, Serah. These were the clans of Asher. They numbered 53,400. The sons of Naphtali by clans: Jahzeel and the Jahzeelite clan, Guni and the Gunite clan, Jezer and the Jezerite clan, Shillem and the Shillemite clan. These were the clans of Naphtali. They numbered 45,400. The total number of the People of Israel: 601,730. God spoke to Moses: "Divide up the inheritance of the land based on population. A larger group gets a larger inheritance; a smaller group gets a smaller inheritance—each gets its inheritance based on the population count. "Make sure that the land is assigned by lot. "Each group's inheritance is based on population, the number of names listed in its ancestral tribe, divided among the many and the few by lot." These are the numberings of the Levites by clan: Gershon and the Gershonite clan, Kohath and the Kohathite clan, Merari and the Merarite clan. The Levite clans also included: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. Kohath was the father of Amram. Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, born into the Levite family during the Egyptian years. Jochebed bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam to Amram. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; however, Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized sacrifice in the presence of God . The numbering of Levite males one month and older came to 23,000. They hadn't been counted in with the rest of the People of Israel because they didn't inherit any land. These are the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, the People of Israel counted in the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho. Not one of them had been among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest in the census of the People of Israel taken in the Wilderness of Sinai. For God had said of them, "They'll die, die in the wilderness—not one of them will be left except for Caleb son of Jephunneh, and Joshua son of Nun."

Census on the Plains of Moab After the plague God said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, "Number the entire community of Israel by families—count every person who is twenty years and older who is able to serve in the army of Israel." Obeying God 's command, Moses and Eleazar the priest addressed them on the Plains of Moab at Jordan-Jericho: "Count off from age twenty and older." The People of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt: Reuben, Israel's firstborn. The sons of Reuben were: Hanoch and the Hanochite clan, Pallu and the Palluite clan, Hezron and the Hezronite clan, Carmi and the Carmite clan. These made up the Reubenite clans. They numbered 43,730. The son of Pallu: Eliab. The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. (These were the same Dathan and Abiram, community leaders from Korah's gang, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the Korah Rebellion against God . The Earth opened its jaws and swallowed them along with Korah's gang who died when the fire ate them up, all 250 of them. After all these years, they're still a warning sign. But the line of Korah did not die out.) The sons of Simeon by clans: Nemuel and the Nemuelite clan, Jamin and the Jaminite clan, Jakin and the Jakinite clan, Zerah and the Zerahite clan, Shaul and the Shaulite clan. These were the clans of Simeon. They numbered 22,200 men. The sons of Gad by clans: Zephon and the Zephonite clan, Haggi and the Haggite clan, Shuni and the Shunite clan, Ozni and the Oznite clan, Eri and the Erite clan, Arodi and the Arodite clan, Areli and the Arelite clan. These were the clans of Gad. They numbered 40,500 men. Er and Onan were sons of Judah who died early on in Canaan. The sons of Judah by clans: Shelah and the Shelanite clan, Perez and the Perezite clan, Zerah and the Zerahite clan. The sons of Perez: Hezron and the Hezronite clan, Hamul and the Hamulite clan. These were the clans of Judah. They numbered 76,500. The sons of Issachar by clans: Tola and the Tolaite clan, Puah and the Puite clan, Jashub and the Jashubite clan, Shimron and the Shimronite clan. These were the clans of Issachar. They numbered 64,300. The sons of Zebulun by clans: Sered and the Seredite clan, Elon and the Elonite clan, Jahleel and the Jahleelite clan. These were the clans of Zebulun. They numbered 60,500. The sons of Joseph by clans through Manasseh and Ephraim. Through Manasseh: Makir and the Makirite clan (now Makir was the father of Gilead), Gilead and the Gileadite clan. The sons of Gilead: Iezer and the Iezerite clan, Helek and the Helekite clan, Asriel and the Asrielite clan, Shechem and the Shechemite clan, Shemida and the Shemidaite clan, Hepher and the Hepherite clan. Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These were the clans of Manasseh. They numbered 52,700. The sons of Ephraim by clans: Shuthelah and the Shuthelahite clan, Beker and the Bekerite clan, Tahan and the Tahanite clan. The sons of Shuthelah: Eran and the Eranite clan. These were the clans of Ephraim. They numbered 32,500. These are all the sons of Joseph by their clans. The sons of Benjamin by clans: Bela and the Belaite clan, Ashbel and the Ashbelite clan, Ahiram and the Ahiramite clan, Shupham and the Shuphamite clan, Hupham and the Huphamite clan. The sons of Bela through Ard and Naaman: Ard and the Ardite clan, Naaman and the Naamite clan. These were the clans of Benjamin. They numbered 45,600. The sons of Dan by clan: Shuham and the Shuhamite clan. These are the clans of Dan, all Shuhamite clans. They numbered 64,400. The sons of Asher by clan: Imnah and the Imnite clan, Ishvi and the Ishvite clan, Beriah and the Beriite clan. The sons of Beriah: Heber and the Heberite clan, Malkiel and the Malkielite clan. Asher also had a daughter, Serah. These were the clans of Asher. They numbered 53,400. The sons of Naphtali by clans: Jahzeel and the Jahzeelite clan, Guni and the Gunite clan, Jezer and the Jezerite clan, Shillem and the Shillemite clan. These were the clans of Naphtali. They numbered 45,400. The total number of the People of Israel: 601,730. God spoke to Moses: "Divide up the inheritance of the land based on population. A larger group gets a larger inheritance; a smaller group gets a smaller inheritance—each gets its inheritance based on the population count. "Make sure that the land is assigned by lot. "Each group's inheritance is based on population, the number of names listed in its ancestral tribe, divided among the many and the few by lot." These are the numberings of the Levites by clan: Gershon and the Gershonite clan, Kohath and the Kohathite clan, Merari and the Merarite clan. The Levite clans also included: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. Kohath was the father of Amram. Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, born into the Levite family during the Egyptian years. Jochebed bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam to Amram. Aaron was the father of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; however, Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized sacrifice in the presence of God .

The numbering of Levite males one month and older came to 23,000. They hadn't been counted in with the rest of the People of Israel because they didn't inherit any land.

They came to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. They stood before Moses and Eleazar the priest and before the leaders and the congregation and said, "Our father died in the wilderness. He wasn't part of Korah's rebel anti- God gang. He died for his own sins. And he left no sons. But why should our father's name die out from his clan just because he had no sons? So give us an inheritance among our father's relatives."

They attacked Midian, just as God had commanded Moses, and killed every last man. Among the fallen were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. The People of Israel took the Midianite women and children captive and took all their animals and herds and goods as plunder. They burned to the ground all the towns in which Midianites lived and also their tent camps. They looted and plundered everything and everyone—stuff and people and animals. They took it all—captives and booty and plunder—back to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the company of Israel where they were camped on the Plains of Moab, at Jordan-Jericho.

Moses, Eleazar, and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet the returning army outside the camp. Moses was furious with the army officers—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—as they came back from the battlefield: "What's this! You've let these women live! They're the ones who, under Balaam's direction, seduced the People of Israel away from God in that mess at Peor, causing the plague that hit God 's people. Finish your job: kill all the boys. Kill every woman who has slept with a man. The younger women who are virgins you can keep alive for yourselves.

The families of Reuben and Gad had huge herds of livestock. They saw that the country of Jazer and Gilead was just the place for grazing livestock. And so they came, the families of Gad and of Reuben, and spoke to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the leaders of the congregation, saying, "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon—the country that God laid low before the community of Israel—is a country just right for livestock, and we have livestock."

Moses answered the families of Gad and Reuben: "Do you mean that you are going to leave the fighting that's ahead to your brothers while you settle down here? Why would you even think of letting the People of Israel down, demoralizing them just as they're about to move into the land God gave them? That's exactly what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to survey the country. They went as far as the Valley of Eshcol, took one look and quit. They completely demoralized the People of Israel from entering the land God had given them. And God got angry—oh, did he get angry! He swore: ‘They'll never get to see it; none of those who came up out of Egypt who are twenty years and older will ever get to see the land that I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They weren't interested in following me—their hearts weren't in it. None, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun; they followed me—their hearts were in it.'