The Wilderness Years

These were the clans of Benjamin, and their registration numbered 45,600.

These were the descendants of Dan by their clans: The Shuhamite clan from Shuham. These were the clans of Dan.

All of them were Shuhamite clans, and their registration numbered 64,400.

These were the descendants of Asher by their clans: The Imnite clan from Imnah, the Ishvite clan from Ishvi, and the Beriite clan from Beriah.

And these were the descendants of Beriah: the Heberite clan from Heber and the Malchielite clan from Malchiel.

And the name of Asher’s daughter was Serah.

These were the clans of Asher, and their registration numbered 53,400.

These were the descendants of Naphtali by their clans: The Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel, the Gunite clan from Guni,

the Jezerite clan from Jezer, and the Shillemite clan from Shillem.

These were the clans of Naphtali, and their registration numbered 45,400.

These men of Israel numbered 601,730 in all.

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“The land is to be divided among the tribes as an inheritance, according to the number of names.

Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one; each tribe is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those registered.

Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.

Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller tribes.”

Now these were the Levites numbered by their clans: The Gershonite clan from Gershon, the Kohathite clan from Kohath, and the Merarite clan from Merari.

These were the families of the Levites: The Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, and the Korahite clan. Now Kohath was the father of Amram,

and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.

Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron,

but Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD.

The registration of the Levites totaled 23,000, every male a month old or more; they were not numbered among the other Israelites, because no inheritance was given to them among the Israelites.

These were the ones numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.

Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai.

For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.