What is the meaning of Numbers 26:41? These were the clans of Benjamin - Moses is standing on the plains of Moab taking the second wilderness census (Numbers 26:1–2), and he pauses to identify each tribe by “clans,” the family units that descended from the patriarch’s sons. - Benjamin’s roots go back to Jacob’s youngest, born on the way to Ephrath; “His father called him Benjamin” (Genesis 35:18). The sons named in Genesis 46:21—“Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard”—became the heads of the families Moses is now recording (Numbers 26:38–40). - Listing the clans matters because the land will soon be parceled “by lot according to the names of the tribes of their fathers” (Joshua 18:11). The record safeguards each family’s inheritance and keeps the lineage intact all the way to later leaders such as King Saul (1 Samuel 9:21) and the apostle Paul, “of the tribe of Benjamin” (Philippians 3:5). - The mention of clans also signals God’s faithfulness to the covenant promise, “I will make nations of you” (Genesis 35:11). Even after decades in the wilderness, Benjamin still stands as one of those promised “nations” within the nation. and their registration numbered 45,600 - The word “registration” points to the military roll of males twenty and older (Numbers 26:2). Back at Sinai their count was 35,400 (Numbers 1:37); the increase of 10,200 shows striking growth despite forty years of judgment in which “your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness” (Numbers 14:29). - This surge testifies that “the LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous as the stars of the heavens” (Deuteronomy 1:10). - Practical outcomes of the 45,600: • Readiness for the upcoming conquest of Canaan, fulfilling “every place the sole of your foot treads shall be yours” (Deuteronomy 11:24). • A sizeable allotment sandwiched between Judah and Ephraim (Joshua 18:11–28), a strategic position that later hosts Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, on its southern border. • Evidence that God can preserve and even prosper His people in the face of plagues that recently claimed 24,000 Israelites (Numbers 25:9). - The number also foreshadows future lessons. Benjamin will later hover near extinction in the civil war of Judges 20, reminding us that present strength must be matched by continued obedience. summary Numbers 26:41 is more than a census figure. By naming Benjamin’s clans and noting their 45,600 fighting men, God certifies the tribe’s identity, protects its inheritance, and showcases His covenant faithfulness. The verse stands as a quiet but powerful declaration that the Lord both preserves and multiplies His people, preparing them for the battles and blessings that lie ahead. |
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