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The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:51
These were the numbered of the children of Israel. The results of this census as compared with the former may be tabulated thus:— Tribe No. of families. First Census Second Census Decrease Increase Reuben. 4 46,500 43,7…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 26:52-56
In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by t…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 26:52-56
If any ask why such a particular account is kept of the tribes, and families, and numbers, of the people of Israel, here is an answer for them; as they were multiplied, so they were portioned, not by common providence,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:52-56
THE LOT IS TO DECIDE WHERE EVERY TRIBE SHALL RECEIVE ITS INHERITANCE Seventy years ago a party of emigrants from the Scottish border found themselves at the entrance of the valley in South Africa which had been assigned…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:53
According to the number of the names. The intention clearly was that the extent of the territory assigned to each tribe, and called by its name (Numbers 26:55, b), should be regulated according to its numbers at the dis…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:55
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot. This can only be reconciled with the preceding order by assuming that the lot was to determine the situation of the territory, the actual boundaries being left to the di…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 26:57-62
Levi was God's tribe; therefore it was not numbered with the rest, but alone. It came not under the sentence, that none of them should enter Canaan excepting Caleb and Joshua.
Matthew Henry on Numbers 26:57-62
Levi was God's tribe, a tribe that was to have no inheritance with the rest in the land of Canaan, and therefore was not numbered with the rest, but by itself; so it had been numbered in the beginning of this book at Mo…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:58
These are the families of the Levites. The three Levitical sub-tribes have been named in the preceding verse, and the present enumeration of families is an independent one. The Libnites were Gershonites (Numbers 3:21),…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:59
Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt. Rather, "whom she ( אֹתָהּ) bare." The missing subject is usually supplied, as in the A.V and there certainly seems no more difficulty in doing so h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:62
Those that were numbered of them. We have here again a round number (23,000), showing an increase of 1000 since the former census. It is evident that the males of Levi were not counted by anything less than hundreds, an…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 26:63-65
The execution of the sentence passed on the murmurers, chap. 14:29, is observable. There was not one man numbered now, who was numbered then, but Caleb and Joshua. Here appeared the righteousness of God, and his faithfu…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 26:63-65
That which is observable in this conclusion of the account is the execution of the sentence passed upon the murmurers (Numbers 14:29), that not one of those who were numbered from twenty years old and upwards (and that…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 26:65
There was not left a man of them. This had been known to be practically the case before they left the wilderness, properly so called (Deuteronomy 2:14, Deuteronomy 2:15), but it was now ascertained for certain. For the…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 27:1-11
The five daughters of Zelophehad considered themselves as left destitute, having neither father nor brother to inherit any land. Their believing expectation that the word of the Lord would be performed in due season, an…
The Daughters of Zelophehad. (b. c. 1452.)
THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD. (B. C. 1452.) Mention is made of the case of these daughters of Zelophehad in the chapter before, Numbers 27:33. It should seem, by the particular notice taken of it, that it was a singular…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 27:12-14
Moses must die, but he shall have the satisfaction of seeing the land of promise. This sight of Canaan signified his believing prospect of the better country, that is, the heavenly. Moses must die, but death does not cu…
Moses Warned of His Death. (b. c. 1452.)
MOSES WARNED OF HIS DEATH. (B. C. 1452.) Here, 1. God tells Moses of his fault, his speaking unadvisedly with his lips at the waters of strife, where he did not express, so carefully as he ought to have done, a regard t…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 27:15-23
Envious spirits do not love their successors; but Moses was not one of these. We should concern ourselves, both in our prayers and in our endeavours, for the rising generation, that religion may be maintained and advanc…
Joshua Named as Moses's Successor. (b. c. 1452.)
JOSHUA NAMED AS MOSES'S SUCCESSOR. (B. C. 1452.) Here, I. Moses prays for a successor. When God had told him that he must die, though it appears elsewhere that he solicited for a reprieve for himself (Deuteronomy 3:24-2…
Matthew Henry on Numbers 28:1-8
God saw fit now to repeat the law of sacrifices. This was a new generation of men; and they were concerned to keep their peace with God when at war with their enemies. The daily sacrifice is called a continual burnt-off…
Laws Concerning Sacrifices. (b. c. 1452.)
LAWS CONCERNING SACRIFICES. (B. C. 1452.) Here is, I. A general order given concerning the offerings of the Lord, which were to be brought in their season, Numbers 28:2. These laws are here given afresh, not because the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 28:1-40
EXPOSITION THE ROUTINE OF SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS (Numbers 28:1-31, Numbers 29:1-40).
The Pulpit Commentary on Numbers 28:1
The Lord spake unto Moses. It is impossible to say with any assurance whether the law of offerings contained in these two chapters was really given to Moses shortly before his death, or whether it was ever given in this…