Numbers 26:49

KJV

Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

KJV (with Strong's)

Of Jezer {H3337}, the family {H4940} of the Jezerites {H3340}: of Shillem {H8006}, the family {H4940} of the Shillemites {H8016}.

Complete Jewish Bible

of Yetzer, the family of the Yitzri; and of Shillem, the family of the Shillemi.

Berean Standard Bible

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

American Standard Version

of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 26:49 is a concise yet profoundly significant verse embedded within the comprehensive second census of Israel, conducted on the plains of Moab. It meticulously records two specific family lines, the Jezerites and the Shillemites, both direct descendants of Naphtali. This precise enumeration underscores God's meticulous organization of His covenant people, preparing them for the equitable distribution of the Promised Land and reaffirming the unwavering continuity of His divine promises across generations.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Numbers 26:49 is situated within the broader genealogical record of Numbers chapter 26, which details the second national census of the Israelites. This census, taken by Moses and Eleazar, occurs nearly four decades after the initial census documented in [Numbers 1](/numbers/1 "Numbers 1 - The First Census"). The immediate literary context for verse 49 is the enumeration of the clans descended from Naphtali, one of Jacob's twelve sons, specifically found in [Numbers 26:48-50](/numbers/26-48-50 "Numbers 26:48-50 - The Clans of Naphtali"). This census marks a pivotal transition, signaling the conclusion of the wilderness wandering and the imminent preparation for entering and inheriting the land of Canaan. Unlike the first census, which counted men able to go to war at the outset of their journey, this second count focuses on the new generation, those who would actually possess the land, ensuring that the inheritance was properly allocated according to tribal and familial population sizes, reflecting God's orderly progression towards the fulfillment of His promises.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical setting for this census is the plains of Moab, positioned strategically east of the Jordan River, just prior to the Israelites' long-awaited entry into the Promised Land. This generation stands in stark contrast to the preceding one, which had rebelled at Kadesh-Barnea and was condemned to die in the wilderness, as vividly recounted in [Numbers 14](/numbers/14 "Numbers 14 - The Rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea"). The meticulous record-keeping of families and individuals was far more than a mere administrative exercise; it was foundational to Israelite societal structure and identity. Lineage determined tribal affiliation, social standing, and, most critically, the right to a portion of the land, which was to be distributed by lot according to the size of each clan, as explicitly commanded in [Numbers 33:54](/numbers/33-54 "Numbers 33:54 - Land Allocation by Lot"). This profound cultural emphasis on genealogy reflected a deep-seated understanding of continuity, inheritance, and the unwavering fulfillment of God's ancient promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
* **Key Themes:** This verse, when viewed within its comprehensive context, contributes significantly to several overarching themes. Firstly, it powerfully highlights **Divine Order and Provision**, demonstrating God's meticulous care in organizing His people for their future inheritance. Even the smallest family units are accounted for, emphasizing the comprehensiveness and precision of His divine plan. Secondly, it serves as a potent illustration of the **Continuity of God's Promises**. Despite the widespread rebellion and the tragic demise of the wilderness generation, God remains utterly faithful to His covenant, raising up a new generation to inherit the land promised to their forefathers, a truth echoed in [Deuteronomy 1:8](/deuteronomy/1-8 "Deuteronomy 1:8 - God's Promise of the Land"). Finally, it profoundly underscores the theme of **Identity and Inheritance**. The naming of "Jezerites" and "Shillemites" is not merely a label but a profound declaration of their belonging, their lineage, and their rightful claim to a specific portion of the land, linking them directly to their tribal heritage and the collective destiny of Israel as God's chosen people.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Jezer (Hebrew, _Yêtser'_):** This is a proper noun, referring to a specific individual, Jezer, who was one of the sons of Naphtali, as recorded in [Numbers 26:48](/numbers/26-48 "Numbers 26:48 - Sons of Naphtali"). The name itself signifies "formation" or "purpose," hinting at the divine design in the lineage. In this context, it serves as the foundational patriarch from whom the Jezerite family line descends, establishing their identity and claim within the tribal structure.
* **family (Hebrew, _mishpâchâh'_):** This term denotes a "family" in the sense of a circle of relatives, but it can also extend to a "clan" or "tribe." In the context of the census, it refers to a recognized, organized social unit larger than an immediate household but smaller than a full tribe. The inclusion of "family" alongside the progenitor's name emphasizes that the census was not just counting individuals, but structured groups, each with a collective identity and a share in the communal inheritance.
* **Shillemites (Hebrew, _Shillêmîy'_):** This is a patronymic term, meaning "descendants of Shillem" or "those belonging to Shillem." Similar to the Jezerites, it identifies a distinct clan or family unit. Shillem was another son of Naphtali ([Numbers 26:49](/numbers/26-49 "Numbers 26:49 - Jezerites and Shillemites")). The "-ites" suffix is crucial for denoting a collective group derived from an ancestral figure, establishing their specific lineage and their rightful place within the tribal allocation of land.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites:"** This clause meticulously links the individual patriarch, Jezer, a son of Naphtali, to the collective family unit that bears his name. It underscores the patriarchal framework of Israelite society, where the identity, social standing, and rights of a family were intrinsically derived from its founding ancestor. The phrase "the family of the Jezerites" emphasizes that the census was concerned not merely with counting individuals but with recognizing and enumerating organized, legitimate family units, each with its designated place and future inheritance within the intricate tribal structure.
* **"of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites."** Parallel in its precise structure to the preceding clause, this segment similarly identifies Shillem, another son of Naphtali, as the progenitor of the Shillemite family. The deliberate repetition of the naming convention ("Of [ancestor], the family of the [descendant group]") highlights the consistent and rigorous method of enumeration applied across all tribes and clans. This meticulous detailing of each family's origin and current status was absolutely vital for the orderly, equitable, and just distribution of the Promised Land, ensuring that every legitimate descendant received their divinely appointed portion according to their lineage.

#### Literary Devices
Numbers 26:49, characteristic of the broader chapter, primarily employs **Genealogy** and **Enumeration** as its foundational literary devices. The entire chapter functions as a comprehensive national register, meticulously listing the descendants of each tribe. The specific structure of this verse—"Of [ancestor], the family of the [descendant group]"—utilizes **Repetition** to create a rhythmic, almost formulaic pattern that powerfully reinforces the meticulousness, comprehensiveness, and divine order of the census. This repetitive naming convention serves a vital purpose: it validates the identity, legitimacy, and continuity of each family unit, ensuring their rightful inclusion in the divine plan for land inheritance. While seemingly dry or administrative, these literary devices convey profound theological truths: God's inherent orderliness, His unwavering attention to detail, and His steadfast commitment to His covenant promises, extending even to the individual family level within His chosen nation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 26:49, though a seemingly simple genealogical entry, profoundly illustrates God's meticulous care and unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people. It demonstrates that God's plan for Israel was not a vague promise but a detailed, orderly progression, where every family and individual had a precise place and divine purpose. This divine attention to detail, even in what might seem like mundane record-keeping, speaks to a God who is intimately involved in the lives of His people, meticulously ensuring their identity, securing their inheritance, and guiding their future. It serves as a powerful reminder that God is a God of perfect order, who faithfully fulfills His promises across generations, even when human faithfulness falters or a generation passes away due to disobedience.

* [Genesis 12:1-3](/genesis/12-1-3 "Genesis 12:1-3 - The Call of Abram")
* [Psalm 139:13-16](/psalm/139-13-16 "Psalm 139:13-16 - God's Intimate Knowledge")
* [Romans 9:6-8](/romans/9-6-8 "Romans 9:6-8 - God's Sovereign Choice")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This seemingly ordinary verse offers profound insights into the very character of God and our cherished place within His magnificent, overarching design. It reveals a God who is not distant, detached, or indifferent, but one who is intimately involved in the intricate details of His creation and the personal lives of His people. Just as the Jezerites and Shillemites were uniquely identified, meticulously counted, and secured in their earthly inheritance, so too are we, as individuals, known, valued, and purposed by God. No one is too small, too overlooked, or too insignificant in His divine eyes; every part contributes meaningfully to the glorious whole of His plan. This profound truth should instill in us a deep and abiding sense of belonging and purpose within God's spiritual family, the Church. It also powerfully encourages us to trust implicitly in God's meticulous plan for our own lives, knowing with certainty that He is faithful across all generations and will assuredly bring to fruition all His promises concerning us. Our spiritual heritage, rooted deeply in Christ, is infinitely richer and more enduring than any earthly lineage, guaranteeing us an eternal, imperishable inheritance.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does God's meticulous attention to detail in this census, even down to individual families, speak to His profound care for your own life and unique circumstances?**
* **What does it truly mean to be part of God's "family" or "household" today, and how does this spiritual identity fundamentally inform your sense of belonging and divine purpose?**
* **In what tangible ways does knowing about God's unwavering faithfulness to past generations (like the Israelites) strengthen your trust and confidence in His promises for your own future?**

### FAQ
**Why is a list of names and families so important in the Bible, especially in a book like Numbers?**

Answer: Genealogical lists like the one in [Numbers 26:49](/numbers/26-49 "Numbers 26:49 - Jezerites and Shillemites") are profoundly crucial for several interconnected reasons. First, they powerfully demonstrate God's meticulous order and divine organization in preparing His people for their destiny. This census was absolutely essential for the fair, systematic, and just allocation of the Promised Land, ensuring that each tribe and family received its rightful inheritance based on its size, as explicitly commanded in [Numbers 33:54](/numbers/33-54 "Numbers 33:54 - Land Allocation by Lot"). Second, these lists underscore the unwavering continuity of God's covenant promises. Despite the tragic death of the wilderness generation due to disobedience, this new census proved that God was utterly faithful to raise up a new generation to fulfill His promise of bringing them into the land. Finally, they establish identity and legitimacy. Being counted meant belonging unequivocally to the covenant community and having a legitimate claim to the inheritance, thereby connecting individuals intimately to their tribal heritage and the collective, divinely ordained destiny of Israel.

**What happened to the previous generation of Israelites, and how does this census relate to them?**

Answer: The previous generation of Israelites, specifically those who were twenty years old or older when they departed from Egypt, largely perished in the wilderness. This was a direct divine judgment for their pervasive rebellion and profound unbelief, particularly after the devastating incident with the spies at Kadesh-Barnea, as vividly detailed in [Numbers 14](/numbers/14 "Numbers 14 - The Rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea"). God unequivocally declared that none of that generation, with the notable exceptions of Caleb and Joshua, would enter the Promised Land. The census in [Numbers 26](/numbers/26 "Numbers 26 - The Second Census"), therefore, primarily counts the new generation—those born during the wilderness wandering or who were under twenty years old at the time of the first census. This second census signifies a new beginning, a fresh start, and a renewed opportunity for God's covenant people to finally enter and possess the land, powerfully demonstrating God's unwavering faithfulness and persistent grace despite human failure and disobedience.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Numbers 26:49 is a specific genealogical record deeply rooted in the Old Testament's historical narrative, its underlying themes find profound and glorious Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Covenant. The meticulous counting of families for an earthly inheritance powerfully foreshadows a far greater, eternal, and spiritual inheritance found exclusively in Christ. Just as the Jezerites and Shillemites were precisely identified by their lineage to receive their portion of the land, believers today are identified not by physical descent but by their spiritual lineage through faith in Jesus Christ, thereby becoming integral members of God's eternal family. Jesus's own meticulously recorded genealogy in [Matthew 1:1-17](/matthew/1-17 "Matthew 1:1-17 - The Genealogy of Jesus Christ") and [Luke 3:23-38](/luke/3-23-38 "Luke 3:23-38 - The Genealogy of Jesus") serves to validate His irrefutable claim as the promised Messiah, the ultimate heir of David, and the one through whom all of God's ancient promises find their definitive "Yes" and "Amen" ([2 Corinthians 1:20](/2_corinthians/1-20 "2 Corinthians 1:20 - God's Promises in Christ")). Through Him, the "new creation" ([2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - New Creation in Christ")) is no longer defined by physical descent or tribal affiliation but by spiritual adoption ([Galatians 3:26-29](/galatians/3-26-29 "Galatians 3:26-29 - Children of God by Faith")). Our inheritance is no longer a temporal plot of land but "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" ([Ephesians 1:3](/ephesians/1-3 "Ephesians 1:3 - Spiritual Blessings in Christ")) and an "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you" ([1 Peter 1:4](/1_peter/1-4 "1 Peter 1:4 - A Living Hope")). The meticulous order of the census points to the divine order of salvation, where God, in Christ, perfectly orchestrates the inclusion of all who believe into His eternal kingdom, granting them an inheritance that infinitely surpasses any earthly portion.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Chronicles 7:13

The sons of Naphtali; Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.