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commentary entry

x.iv.xxvi-p16.5

x.iv.xxvi-p16.5219 words

64. among these there was not a man … numbered … in the wilderness of Sinai—The statement in this verse must not be considered absolute. For, besides Caleb and Joshua, there were alive at this time Eleazar and Ithamar, and in all probability a considerable number of Levites, who had no participation in the popular defections in the wilderness. The tribe of Levi, having neither sent a spy into Canaan, nor being included in the enumeration at Sinai, must be regarded as not coming within the range of the fatal sentence; and therefore it would exhibit a spectacle not to be witnessed in the other tribes of many in their ranks above sixty years of age.

Tribes

Chap. 1

Chap. 26

Increase

Decrease

Reuben

46,500

43,730

2,770

Simeon

59,300

22,200

37,100

Gad

45,650

40,500

5,150

Judah

74,600

76,500

1,900

Issachar

54,400

64,300

9,900

Zebulun

57,400

60,500

3,100

Ephraim

40,500

32,500

8,000

Manasseh

32,200

52,700

20,500

Benjamin

35,400

45,600

10,200

Dan

62,700

64,400

1,700

Asher

41,500

53,400

11,900

Naphtali

53,400

45,400

8,000

Total

603,550

601,730

59,200

61,020

Total decrease

1,820