Page:Keil and Delitzsch,Biblical commentary the old testament the pentateuch, trad James Martin, volume 1, 1885.djvu/1238

 regulations mentioned in Num 27 and 39, to which this fact gave rise.

verses 35-37
There were four families descended from Ephraim; three from his sons, and one from his grandson. Of the descendants of Sutelah several links are given in 1Ch 7:20.

verses 38-41
The children of Benjamin formed seven families, five of whom were founded by his sons, and two by grandsons. (On the differences which occur between the names given here and those in Gen 46:21.) Some of the sons and grandsons of Benjamin mentioned here are also found in the genealogical fragments in 1Ch 7:6-18, and 1Ch 8:1.

verses 42-43
The descendants of Dan formed only one family, named from a son of Dan, who is called Shuham here, but Hushim in Gen 46:23; though this family no doubt branched out into several smaller families, which are not named here, simply because this list contains only the leading families into which the tribes were divided.

verses 44-47
The families of Asher agree with the sons of Asher mentioned in Gen 46:17 and 1Ch 7:30, except that Ishuah is omitted here, because he founded no family.

verses 48-50
The families of Naphtali tally with the sons of Naphtali in Gen 46:24 and 1Ch 7:30.

Verse 51
The total number of the persons mustered was 601,730.

verses 52-56
Instructions concerning the Distribution of the Land. - In Num 26:53, Num 26:54, the command is given to distribute the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes (“unto these”), according to the number of the names (Num 1:2-18), i.e., to the tribes and families that contained only a few persons, they were to make it small; to every one according to the measure of its mustered persons (ל must be repeated before אישׁ). In Num 26:55, Num 26:56, it is still further commanded that the distribution should take place by lot. “According to the names on their paternal tribes shall they (the children of Israel) receive it (the land) for an inheritance.” The meaning of these words can only be, that every tribe was to receive a province of its own for an inheritance, which should be called by its name for ever. The other regulation in Num 26:56, “according to the measure of the lot shall its inheritance (the inheritance of every tribe) be divided between the numerous and the small (tribe),” is no doubt to be understood as signifying, that in