Lexical Summary Karmi: Carmites Original Word: כַּרְמִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a Karmite or descendant of Karmi -- CarmitesPatronymically from Karmiy; a Karmite or descendant of Karmi -- Carmites. see HEBREW Karmiy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Karmi Definition desc. of Carmi NASB Translation Carmites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. כַּרְמִי adjective, of a people of I. כַּרְמִי 1; only with article ׳הַכּ, as substantive Numbers 26:6. Topical Lexicon Ancestral Context Karmi is named in the second wilderness census as a forefather of the Carmite clan within the tribe of Reuben (Numbers 26:6). Though the text offers no narrative about his personal life, his placement in the genealogy of Reuben anchors him among the first-generation descendants of Jacob who journeyed to Egypt (Genesis 46:9). His inclusion demonstrates how the covenant promises given to the patriarchs continued to unfold through identifiable family lines. Role in the Wilderness Census The census at Shittim was taken, in part, to measure military strength for the impending conquest of Canaan and to prepare for the allocation of land (Numbers 26:52-56). By listing “the Carmite clan from Carmi” (Numbers 26:6), Scripture shows that even smaller families had a recognized stake in Israel’s collective mission. The Carmites contributed to Reuben’s total of 43,730 fighting men, reminding readers that every household, however obscure, was counted by name before the Lord. Implications for Tribal Allotments The census numbers directly informed the distribution of territory west of the Jordan. Although Reuben eventually settled east of the river by mutual agreement (Numbers 32), the Carmites would have received an inheritance proportionate to their enrollment. This reinforces the principle that spiritual legacy and material inheritance are intertwined in God’s economy; the descendants of Karmi possessed a tangible share in the land promised to Abraham. Lessons in Covenant Identity Reuben’s tribe, including the Carmites, faced moments of instability—Reuben himself forfeited the birthright (Genesis 49:3-4), and the eastern tribes later erected the altar at the Jordan that sparked inter-tribal tension (Joshua 22). Yet the persistence of the Carmite name in the biblical record testifies to divine faithfulness amid human weakness. The Lord preserved their lineage, underscoring that covenant identity rests on His promise rather than flawless human performance. Ministry Reflections 1. God remembers individuals: Karmi appears only once, yet his descendants are cataloged for posterity. This encourages modern believers that no act of faithfulness is overlooked (Hebrews 6:10). Summary Though mentioned only in Numbers 26:6, Karmi represents the enduring link between individual families and God’s redemptive purposes. His clan’s census enrollment highlights divine attention to detail, the importance of generational faithfulness, and the certainty of promised inheritance—all themes that continue to shape the life and mission of the people of God today. Forms and Transliterations הַכַּרְמִֽי׃ הכרמי׃ hak·kar·mî hakkarMi hakkarmîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 26:6 HEB: לְכַרְמִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַכַּרְמִֽי׃ NAS: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. KJV: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. INT: of Carmi the family of the Carmites 1 Occurrence |
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