Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty - The following comparative statement will show how much some of the tribes had increased, and others had diminished, since the enumeration in Numbers 1.
\trowd \trgaph108 \trbrdrl \trbrdrt \trbrdrr \trbrdrb \trbrdrh \trbrdrv \trleft108 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat11 x1548 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat11 x2947 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat11 x4590 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat11 x6840
d Tribe Chapter 26 Chapter
1 Variation
d \row \trowd \trgaph108 \trbrdrl \trbrdrt \trbrdrr \trbrdrb \trbrdrh \trbrdrv \trleft108 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x1548 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x2700 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x3195 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x4590 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x6840
d Reuben
d \qr 43,730
d to
d \qr 46,500 2,770 decrease
d \row
d Simeon
d \qr 22,200
d to
d \qr 59,300 37,100 decrease
d \row
d Gad
d \qr 40,500
d to
d \qr 45,650 5,150 decrease
d \row
d Judah
d \qr 76,500
d to
d \qr 74,600 1,900 increase
d \row
d Issachar
d \qr 64,300
d to
d \qr 54,400 9,900 increase
d \row
d Zebulun
d \qr 60,500
d to
d \qr 57,400 3,100 increase
d \row
d Manasseh
d \qr 52,700
d to
d \qr 32,200 20,500 increase
d \row
d Ephraim
d \qr 32,500
d to
d \qr 40,500 8,000 decrease
d \row
d Benjamin
d \qr 45,600
d to
d \qr 35,400 10,200 increase
d \row
d Dan
d \qr 64,400
d to
d \qr 62,700 1,700 increase
d \row
d Asher
d \qr 53,400
d to
d \qr 41,500 11,900 increase
d \row
d Naphtali
d \qr 45,400
d to
d \qr 53,400 8,000 decrease
d \row
d Total
d \qr 601,730
d to
d \qr 603,550 1,820 decrease
on the whole,
in 38 years.
d \row \trowd \trgaph108 \trbrdrl \trbrdrt \trbrdrr \trbrdrb \trbrdrh \trbrdrv \trleft108 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x6840
d \qr Decrease in all, 61,020.
d \row \trowd \trgaph108 \trbrdrl \trbrdrt \trbrdrr \trbrdrb \trbrdrh \trbrdrv \trleft108 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x6840
d \qr Increase in all, 59,200.
d \row
d
Let it be observed,
1.That among these there was not a man of the former census, save Joshua and Caleb, see Numbers 26:64, Numbers 26:65.
2.That though there was an increase in seven tribes of not less than 74,800 men, yet so great was the decrease in the other five tribes, that the balance against the present census is 1,820, as appears above: thus we find that there was an in crease of 601,728 from 603,550 in the space of thirty-eight years.
Notwithstanding the amazing increase in some and decrease in other tribes, the same sort of proportion is preserved in the east, west, north, and south divisions, as before; so as to keep the division of Judah, which was always in the front or van, the largest; and the division of Dan, which was always in the rear, the next in number. But it is worthy of remark that as they are now, properly speaking, to commence their grand military operations, so their front, or advanced division, is increased from 186,400 to 201,300; and their rear from 157,600 to 163,200. The first division is strengthened 14,900 men, and the last division 5,600 men. The reasons for this are sufficiently obvious.
Mr. Ainsworth has a curious remark on the number of families in the 12 tribes.
\trowd \trgaph108 \trbrdrl \trbrdrt \trbrdrr \trbrdrb \trbrdrh \trbrdrv \trleft108 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat11 x4428
d Number of Families
d \row \trowd \trgaph108 \trbrdrl \trbrdrt \trbrdrr \trbrdrb \trbrdrh \trbrdrv \trleft108 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x2268 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x4428
d 1. Of Manasseh 8 7. Of Reuben 4
d \row
d 2. Of Benjamin 7 8. Of Issachar 4
d \row
d 3. Of Gad 7 9. Of Ephraim 4
d \row
d 4. Of Simeon 5 10. Of Naphtali 4
d \row
d 5. Of Judah 5 11. Of Zebulun 3
d \row \trowd \trgaph108 \trbrdrl \trbrdrt \trbrdrr \trbrdrb \trbrdrh \trbrdrv \trleft108 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x2268 \clbrdrl \clbrdrt \clbrdrr \clbrdrb \clshdng5000 \clcfpat3 x4428
d 6. Of Asher 5 12. Of Dan 1
d \row
d
"In all 57; to whom if we add the 12 patriarchs, and Jacob their father, the whole number is 70, the exact number of the souls in Jacob' s house that went down to Egypt, Genesis 46:27." In a variety of things in this ancient economy there is a most surprising proportion kept up, which never could have been a fortuitous effect of general causes. But proportion, harmony, and order distinguish all the works of God, both in the natural and moral world.
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