What is the meaning of Numbers 26:42? These were the descendants of Dan by their clans The verse sits in the second wilderness census (Numbers 26), a moment when the LORD affirms who will enter the land promised to Abraham. By listing each tribe, God underscores that His covenant people are a real, traceable community. • The census follows a devastating plague (Numbers 25:9), showing that, even after judgment, God still preserves His people (compare Exodus 1:7). • Each family line matters; knowing your clan meant knowing your inheritance once Canaan was divided (Joshua 19:40-48). • Earlier, the first census recorded Dan at 62,700 fighting men (Numbers 1:38-39). The second census raises the number (v. 43), confirming God’s faithfulness to multiply Israel as He promised (Genesis 15:5; Deuteronomy 7:13). The Shuhamite clan from Shuham Only one clan is named for Dan, the Shuhamites (called “Hushim” in Genesis 46:23). • Shuham’s single-clan status may reflect Dan’s need for unity; later the tribe relocates together to seize Laish (Judges 18:1-7). • The record preserves Shuham’s name, assuring us that even seemingly minor figures are not forgotten by God (Psalm 139:16). • God’s meticulous care over genealogies confirms the literal history of Israel; these are not myths but family records kept intact through centuries (1 Chronicles 7:12). These were the clans of Dan The phrase bookends the listing, stressing completeness—nothing and no one is missing. • The tribe’s total—64,400 men of war (v. 43)—shows growth despite wilderness hardships, echoing God’s promise to keep Israel and bring them into the land (Numbers 14:31). • Dan’s future struggles (Judges 18; 1 Kings 12:28-30) remind us that numerical strength does not replace wholehearted obedience. God counts His people not merely to number them but to shape them into a holy nation (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9). • For believers today, the precision of this census points us to the Lamb’s book of life, where every name is equally secure (Luke 10:20; Revelation 20:12). summary Numbers 26:42 highlights God’s exact knowledge of His people. By recording the Shuhamite clan of Dan, Scripture affirms that each family, each individual, stands within God’s covenant care. The listing proves His promises are literal, His record-keeping flawless, and His faithfulness unchanging from the wilderness to our own lives. |
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