What is the meaning of Numbers 26:13? the Zerahite clan • Numbers 26:13 records, “the Zerahite clan from Zerah …,” placing the Zerahites within the second wilderness census. • Genesis 46:10 lists Zerah (also called Zohar) among Simeon’s sons who went down to Egypt, affirming the historical line. • Numbers 1:6, 23 confirms their presence in the first census nearly forty years earlier, showing God’s faithful preservation of this clan through the desert years. • Distinction matters: this Zerah is of Simeon, not the more familiar Zerah born to Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38:30; 1 Chronicles 2:4), reminding us to read genealogies carefully and literally. from Zerah • The phrase “from Zerah” grounds the clan’s identity in an actual patriarch—Simeon’s fourth son. • By tying a living people to a named forefather, Scripture underlines the family covenant promise first spoken to Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3) and later traced through each tribe. • This literal linkage assures believers that God values individual names and faithfully keeps generational records (Exodus 1:1-5). and • The simple conjunction “and” joins two clans, showing that no branch is overlooked in God’s accounting (Psalm 147:4). • Within the broader census (Numbers 26:2), every tribe, clan, and family is counted for inheritance purposes, underscoring orderly stewardship in the promised land (Joshua 14:1-2). the Shaulite clan • Numbers 26:13 continues, “… and the Shaulite clan …,” introducing Simeon’s fifth recorded line. • Genesis 46:10 notes that Shaul was “the son of a Canaanite woman,” highlighting God’s grace in welcoming those of mixed background into covenant community (cf. Exodus 12:38 for the “mixed multitude”). • 1 Chronicles 4:24 lists the sons of Simeon again, confirming this clan’s ongoing presence centuries later. from Shaul • “From Shaul” roots the Shaulites in a historical person, just as with Zerah. • Their inclusion demonstrates that fidelity to God’s covenant, not ethnic purity alone, secures a place among His people (Deuteronomy 10:17-18). • By the time of the second census, the Shaulites numbered 22,200 (Numbers 26:14), tangible proof that God multiplies even seemingly minor lines. summary Numbers 26:13 sequentially names two Simeonite clans—the Zerahites and the Shaulites—each traced to a literal ancestor. By recording them, Scripture reaffirms God’s meticulous care over every family, His fulfillment of covenant promises through generations, and His gracious inclusion of all who belong to His people. |
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