What is the meaning of Numbers 26:16?

The Oznite clan from Ozni

“the Oznite clan from Ozni” (Numbers 26:16)

• Numbers 26 is the second wilderness census. By naming the Oznites, God shows He remembers every family within Gad. Compare Genesis 46:16, where Gad’s sons are first listed, and Numbers 1:14, where Gad’s representatives stand in the first census.

• The literal record confirms that real men—Ozni and his offspring—stood before Moses to be counted. Psalm 147:4 reminds us the Lord “counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.” If He numbers stars, He surely numbers people.

• Practical takeaway:

– Your family line matters to God just as Ozni’s did.

– Each clan had land rights that would later be honored east of the Jordan (Joshua 13:24-28). God’s promises touch everyday needs—homes, pastures, security.

– Faithfulness in obscurity counts; the Oznites are never spotlighted for great exploits, yet their names endure in Scripture.

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The Erite clan from Eri

“the Erite clan from Eri” (Numbers 26:16)

• Eri was another son of Gad (Genesis 46:16). The record preserves his lineage centuries later in 1 Chronicles 5:11-17, proving God’s unbroken covenant care.

• While Scripture gives no exploits for the Erites, their inclusion underscores that every believer, however unknown, is written in God’s book (Malachi 3:16; Luke 10:20).

• Why list them?

– To establish their share when Gad settles the fertile plains across the Jordan (Numbers 32:1-5).

– To remind Israel that national strength rests on faithful households, not just famous leaders (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).

– To teach us that Scripture’s historical precision—down to clan names—is trustworthy (2 Timothy 3:16).

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summary

Numbers 26:16 simply catalogs two Gadite clans, yet it testifies that the Lord personally knows, counts, and provides for every family in His covenant community. The Oznites and Erites, though ordinary, are preserved in the biblical record to assure all believers that God’s promises reach each household and that our names, like theirs, are secure in His faithful memory.