Numbers 26:37

Translation
King James Version
These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.
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KJV (with Strong's)
These are the families H4940 of the sons H1121 of Ephraim H669 according to those that were numbered H6485 of them, thirty H7970 and two H8147 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967. These are the sons H1121 of Joseph H3130 after their families H4940.
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Complete Jewish Bible
These were the families of the descendants of Efrayim, according to those of them that were counted, 32,500. These were the descendants of Yosef, by their families.
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Berean Standard Bible
These were the clans of Ephraim, and their registration numbered 32,500. These clans were the descendants of Joseph.
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American Standard Version
These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.
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World English Bible Messianic
These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them, thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
These are the families of the sonnes of Ephraim after their nombers, two and thirtie thousand and fiue hundreth. these are the sonnes of Ioseph after their families.
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Young's Literal Translation
These are families of the sons of Ephraim, by their numbered ones, two and thirty thousand and five hundred. These are sons of Joseph by their families.
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See also
Numbers 2:18Numbers 2:19Numbers 1:32Numbers 1:33
In the KJVVerse 4,527 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Numbers 26:37 precisely records the demographic data for the tribe of Ephraim during the second census of Israel, indicating their strength as thirty-two thousand five hundred. This verse explicitly identifies them as "the sons of Joseph after their families," serving as a crucial organizational and numerical record for the new generation poised to inherit the Promised Land, thereby underscoring God's meticulous order, enduring covenant faithfulness, and the continuity of Joseph's legacy within the nation.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Numbers 26:37 is situated within the comprehensive second census of the Israelite tribes, meticulously recorded in Numbers 26. This enumeration follows the first census taken at Sinai in Numbers 1, serving as a critical update after the forty years of wilderness wanderings. The chapter systematically lists the fighting men (those twenty years old and upward) from each tribe, preparing them for the imminent conquest and subsequent division of the land of Canaan. The specific focus on Ephraim here, alongside other tribes, is part of a larger, divinely ordained accounting, emphasizing tribal identity and numerical strength as foundational for the nation's future settlement and governance.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The census takes place on the plains of Moab, a pivotal geographical location on the cusp of the Promised Land, signifying the end of the wilderness journey and the beginning of a new era for Israel. Culturally, such a census was crucial for military readiness, determining the number of men available for battle, and for the equitable distribution of land by lot, as explicitly stated in Numbers 26:53. Historically, this census marks a new generation, as the previous generation, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, had perished in the wilderness due to their disobedience and unbelief, a judgment detailed in Numbers 14:29. This context highlights God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises despite human failure and the necessity of a new, obedient generation to enter the land.
  • Key Themes: The verse contributes to several overarching themes within Numbers and the Pentateuch. It underscores Divine Order and Sovereignty, demonstrating God's meticulous attention to detail and His active involvement in organizing His people for His purposes, particularly as they prepare for a new phase of their national history. The very existence of a new generation, ready and numbered, powerfully illustrates God's Covenant Faithfulness, proving that His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob endure across generations, even through periods of judgment and national failure. Furthermore, the numerical count for Ephraim directly relates to the theme of Inheritance, as each tribe's size would determine its portion of the land, a principle later actualized in Joshua 16. Finally, the explicit mention of "the sons of Joseph" highlights the enduring Legacy of Joseph, whose two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were elevated to full tribal status, fulfilling Jacob's prophetic blessing in Genesis 48:5 and ensuring Joseph's prominent place in Israel's history.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Families (Hebrew, mishpâchâh', H4940): This term (H4940) refers to a family, clan, or circle of relatives, and by extension, a tribe or people. In the context of the census, the "family" unit was the fundamental social and legal building block of Israelite society. It emphasizes the importance of lineage and kinship in ancient Israel, as the land inheritance was distributed according to these family units, ensuring the preservation of ancestral lines and tribal identity. This highlights the communal aspect of God's covenant with Israel.
  • Sons (Hebrew, bên, H1121): The word (H1121) literally means "son" but is used in a very wide sense to denote relationship, including descendants, members of a group, or even quality. In this verse, it specifically refers to the direct descendants of Ephraim and, more broadly, to the lineage of Joseph. The repetition of "sons" underscores the continuity of generations and the importance of patriarchal lines in establishing tribal identity and rights, particularly concerning the inheritance of the Promised Land.
  • Numbered (Hebrew, pâqad', H6485): This verb (H6485) means "to visit," "to oversee," "to muster," or "to count." It carries a deeper theological nuance than a mere statistical count. In this context, pâqad implies a divine visitation, inspection, or appointment for a specific purpose. It suggests that God Himself is overseeing and acknowledging each individual and family within the tribal structure, preparing them for His sovereign plans, particularly the conquest and inheritance of Canaan. It signifies a divine accounting, where every person is known and accounted for by God.

Verse Breakdown

  • "These [are] the families of the sons of Ephraim": This opening clause precisely identifies the tribal group whose demographic data is being presented. It establishes the focus on Ephraim, one of the two tribes descended from Joseph, setting the stage for their specific numerical report and emphasizing the family units that comprise the tribe.
  • "according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred": This provides the exact numerical strength of the tribe of Ephraim at the time of the second census. This figure was crucial for military purposes (determining available fighting men) and for the subsequent allocation of land, as the size of a tribe directly influenced the extent of its territorial inheritance in Canaan. The precision of the number reflects God's meticulous organization.
  • "These [are] the sons of Joseph after their families": This concluding statement serves as a reaffirmation of Ephraim's lineage and its direct connection to Joseph. It reiterates the unique status of Ephraim (and Manasseh) as distinct tribes, fulfilling the patriarchal blessings and emphasizing the continuity of God's plan through Joseph's descendants, who were counted as full tribes of Israel. This highlights Joseph's enduring legacy and the prominence of his line within the nation.

Literary Devices

Numbers 26:37, as part of a larger census, primarily employs Enumeration and Cataloging. The entire chapter is a meticulous list of tribal populations, demonstrating a divine commitment to order, precision, and accountability. This detailed accounting is not merely statistical; it serves to underscore God's sovereign oversight of His people, knowing each family and its strength as they prepare for a new era. The Repetition of phrases like "these are the families" and the consistent numerical format throughout the chapter reinforces the systematic nature of the census and the importance of tribal and family identity within Israel. Furthermore, the verse implicitly points to Fulfillment, as the existence of a new generation ready to enter the land, meticulously counted, signifies the ongoing fulfillment of God's covenant promises to Abraham regarding his numerous descendants and their inheritance of the land.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Numbers 26:37, though a seemingly dry demographic detail, profoundly illustrates God's meticulous care and unwavering covenant faithfulness. The very act of numbering each family and tribe demonstrates that God is a God of order, who sees and knows every individual within His covenant community. This census, taken after the tragic loss of the wilderness generation due to their unbelief, powerfully testifies to God's commitment to His promises; He raises up a new generation to fulfill His purposes, ensuring the continuity of His plan for Israel to inherit the land. It underscores that God's plans are not thwarted by human failure but are ultimately brought to fruition through His steadfast love and sovereign provision, preparing His people for their destiny.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Numbers 26:37 reminds us that God is intimately involved in the details of His people's lives, not just in grand, sweeping narratives. His meticulous counting of each family and tribe, even after a generation's failure, speaks volumes about His faithfulness and His commitment to His promises. For us today, this means that God sees and knows us individually, caring about the seemingly small details of our lives and our unique place within His larger plan. It offers immense hope: even when we or those around us falter, God remains true to His word, raising up new generations and new opportunities to advance His kingdom. Just as Israel was prepared for their inheritance, we are called to be prepared for God's purposes in our lives, trusting in His sovereign plan and His ongoing work of equipping us for His service. This preparation involves spiritual discipline, readiness to obey, and a deep reliance on His guidance as we seek to live out our calling, knowing that He has numbered our days and our steps.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does God's meticulous attention to detail in the census encourage or challenge your view of His involvement in your own life?
  • In what ways do you see God's faithfulness enduring through generations, even when previous generations have faltered in faith or obedience?
  • How might God be "numbering" or preparing you for a specific purpose in His kingdom today, and what steps can you take to be ready?

FAQ

Why was a second census necessary for the Israelites?

Answer: A second census was necessary primarily because the first generation of Israelites, counted at Sinai in Numbers 1, had largely perished in the wilderness due to their disobedience and unbelief, as prophesied in Numbers 14:29. This new census, taken on the plains of Moab, was for the new generation, preparing them for two crucial purposes: first, to determine the number of fighting men ready to conquer the Promised Land, and second, to provide a basis for the equitable division of the land among the tribes and families, as outlined in Numbers 26:53. It signified a fresh start and God's enduring faithfulness to His covenant promises despite human failure, ensuring His plan for Israel's inheritance would be fulfilled.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Numbers 26:37, detailing the meticulous numbering of Ephraim and the sons of Joseph, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in God's perfect knowledge and sovereign ordering of His spiritual people. Just as the census prepared a physical generation to enter a physical land, Christ prepares His church, the new Israel, for a spiritual inheritance. The "sons of Joseph," elevated to tribal status, foreshadow the inclusion of all who are "in Christ," transcending physical lineage and national boundaries. The meticulous counting points to God's intimate knowledge of His elect, whose names are not merely in a tribal registry but are eternally written in the Lamb's Book of Life. The entry into the Promised Land, for which this census was a preparation, is ultimately realized in the spiritual rest and eternal inheritance found in Jesus Christ, who is our true "Promised Land" and the one who leads us into the new creation (Hebrews 4:9-10). He is the true Joshua, leading His people into their spiritual inheritance, a far greater reality than the physical land (Hebrews 3:7-19). Through Him, God's covenant promises of a numerous people and an eternal dwelling place are perfectly fulfilled, not by physical descent or military muster, but by faith in the resurrected Lord, who has made us heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans/8-17).

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Commentary on Numbers 26 verses 5–51

This is the register of the tribes as they were now enrolled, in the same order that they were numbered in ch. 1. Observe,

I. The account that is here kept of the families of each tribe, which must not be understood of such as we call families, those that live in a house together, but such as were the descendants of the several sons of the patriarchs, by whose names, in honour of them, their posterity distinguished themselves and one another. The families of the twelve tribes are thus numbered: - Of Dan but one, for Dan had but one son, and yet that tribe was the most numerous of all except Judah, Num 26:42, Num 26:43. Its beginning was small, but its latter end greatly increased. Zebulun was divided into three families, Ephraim into four, Issachar into four, Naphtali into four, and Reuben into four; Judah, Simeon, and Asher, had five families apiece, Gad and Benjamin seven apiece, and Manasseh eight. Benjamin brought ten sons into Egypt (Gen 46:21), but three of them, it seems either died childless or their families were extinct, for here we find seven only of those names preserved, and that whole tribe none of the most numerous; for Providence, in the building up of families and nations, does not tie itself to probabilities. The barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children has waxed feeble, Sa1 2:5.

II. The numbers of each tribe. And here our best entertainment will be to compare these numbers with those when they were numbered at Mount Sinai. The sum total was nearly the same; they were now 1820 fewer than they were then; yet seven of the tribes had increased in number. Judah had increased 1900, Issachar 9900, Zebulun 3100, Manasseh 20,500, Benjamin 10,200, Dan 1700, and Asher 11,900. But the other five had decreased more than to balance that increase. Reuben had decreased 2770, Simeon 37,100, Gad 5150, Ephraim 8000, and Naphtali 8000. In this account we may observe, 1. that all the three tribes that were encamped under the standard of Judah, who was the ancestor of Christ, had increased, for his church shall be edified and multiplied. 2. That none of the tribes had increased so much as that of Manasseh, which in the former account was the smallest of all the tribes, only 32,200, while here it is one of the most considerable; and that of his brother Ephraim, which there was numerous, is here one of the least. Jacob had crossed hands upon their heads, and had preferred Ephraim before Manasseh, which perhaps the Ephraimites had prided themselves too much in, and had trampled upon their brethren the Manassites; but, when the Lord saw that Manasseh was despised, he thus multiplied him exceedingly, for it is his glory to help the weakest, and raise up those that are cast down. 3. That none of the tribes decreased so much as Simeon did; from 59,300, it such to 22,200, little more than a third part of what it was. One whole family of that tribe (namely Ohad, mentioned Exo 6:15) was extinct in the wilderness. Hence Simeon is not mentioned in Moses's blessing (Deu. 33), and the lot of that tribe in Canaan was inconsiderable, only a canton out of Judah's lot, Jos 19:9. Some conjecture that most of those 24,000 who were cut off by the plague for the iniquity of Peor were of that tribe; for Zimri, who was a ringleader in that iniquity, was a prince of that tribe, many of whom therefore were influenced by his example to follow his pernicious ways.

III. In the account of the tribe of Reuben mention is made of the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, who were of that tribe, in confederacy with Korah a Levite, Num 26:9-11. Though the story had been largely related but a few chapters before, yet here it comes in again, as fit to be had in remembrance and thought of by posterity, whenever they looked into their pedigree and pleased themselves with the antiquity of their families and the glory of their ancestors, that they might call themselves a seed of evil doers. Two things are here said of them: - 1. That they had been famous in the congregation, Num 26:9. Probably they were remarkable for their ingenuity, activity, and fitness for business: - That Dathan and Abiram that might have been advanced in due time under God and Moses; but their ambitious spirits put them upon striving against God and Moses, and when they quarrelled with the one they quarrelled with the other. And what was the issue? 2. Those that might have been famous were made infamous: they became a sign, Num 26:10. They were made monuments of divine justice; God, in their ruin, showed himself glorious in holiness, and so they were set up for a warning to all others, in all ages, to take heed of treading in the steps of their pride and rebellion. Notice is here taken of the preservation of the children of Korah (Num 26:11); they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram did, doubtless because they kept themselves pure from the infection, and would not join, no, not with their own father, in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues. These sons of Korah were afterwards, in their posterity, eminently serviceable to the church, being employed by David as singers in the house of the Lord; hence many psalms are said to be for the sons of Korah: and perhaps they were made to bear his name so long after, rather than the name of any other of their ancestors, for warning to themselves, and as an instance of the power of God, which brought those choice fruits even out of that bitter root. The children of families that have been stigmatized should endeavour, by their eminent virtues, to roll away the reproach of their fathers.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 5–51. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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