---
title: "Clarke"
description: "rest having died in the wilderness, 63-65. NOTES ON CHAP. XXVI Verse Numbers 26:2. Take the sum of all the congregation — After thirty-eight years God com"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/numbers/26"
---

*rest having died in the wilderness*, 63-65.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXVI

Verse [Numbers 26:2](../../../kjv/numbers/26/2). ***Take the sum of all the congregation*** — After thirty-eight years God commands a *second census* of the Israelites to be made, to preserve the distinction in families, and to regulate the tribes previously to their entry into the promised land, and to ascertain the proportion of land which should be allowed to each tribe. For though the whole was divided by *lot*, yet the portions were so disposed that a numerous tribe did not draw where the lots assigned small inheritances. See [Numbers 26:53-56](../../../kjv/numbers/26/53-56), and also [Numbers 1:1](../../../kjv/numbers/1/1); [Numbers 1:1](../../../kjv/numbers/1/1).

Verse [Numbers 26:10](../../../kjv/numbers/26/10). ***Together with Korah*** — The Samaritan text does not intimate that Korah was *swallowed up*, but that he was *burnt*, as appears in fact to have been the case. *And the earth swallowed* *them up, what time that company died; and the fire devoured Korah* *with the two hundred and fifty men, who became a sign*.

Verse [Numbers 26:11](../../../kjv/numbers/26/11). ***The children of Korah died not.*** — It is difficult to reconcile this place with [Numbers 16:27](../../../kjv/numbers/16/27); [Numbers 16:31-33](../../../kjv/numbers/16/31-33), where it seems to be intimated that not only the *men*, but the *wives*, and the *sons*, *and the little ones* of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, were swallowed up by the earthquake; see especially [Numbers 16:27](../../../kjv/numbers/16/27), collated with [Numbers 16:33](../../../kjv/numbers/16/33). But the text here expressly says, *The children of Korah died not; and on a close inspection of* [Numbers 16:27](../../../kjv/numbers/16/27) of the above-mentioned chapter, we shall find that the *sons and the little ones* of Dathan and Abiram alone are mentioned. *So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram*, *on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out - and their wives, and* *their sons, and their little ones*. Here is no mention of the *children of Korah*, they therefore escaped, while it appears those of Dathan and Abiram perished with their fathers. [Numbers 16:30](../../../kjv/numbers/16/30); [Numbers 16:30](../../../kjv/numbers/16/30).

Verse [Numbers 26:51](../../../kjv/numbers/26/51). ***These were the numbered of the children of Israel***, *six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.*] The following comparative statement will show how much some of the tribes had *increased*, and others had *diminished*, since the enumeration in [Numbers 1:2](../../../kjv/numbers/1/2), c.
Notwithstanding the amazing increase in some and decrease in other tribes, the same sort of proportion is preserved in the *east, west, north*, and *south* divisions, as before so as to keep the division of *Judah*, which was always in the *front* or *van*, the largest; and the division of *Dan*, which was always in the *rear*, the next in number. But it is worthy of remark that as they are now, properly speaking, to commence their grand military operations, so their *front*, or *advanced division*, is increased from 186,400 to 201,300; and their *rear* from 157,600 to 163,200. The *first* division is strengthened 14,900 men, and the *last* division 5,600 men. The reasons for this are sufficiently obvious.
Mr. *Ainsworth* has a curious remark on the number of families in the 12 tribes. "Here are families

"In all 57; to whom if we add the 12 *patriarchs*, and *Jacob* their father, the whole number is 70, the exact number of the souls in Jacob's house that went down to Egypt, [Genesis 46:27](../../../kjv/genesis/46/27)." In a variety of things in this ancient economy there is a most surprising *proportion* kept up, which never could have been a fortuitous effect of general causes. But *proportion, harmony*, and *order* distinguish all the works of God, both in the *natural* and *moral* world.

Verse [Numbers 26:55](../../../kjv/numbers/26/55). ***The land shall be divided by lot*** — The word גורל *goral*, translated *lot*, is supposed by some to signify the *stone* or *pebble* formerly used for the purpose of what we term *casting* *lots*. The word [Anglo-Saxon] *hlot* is Anglo-Saxon, from [Anglo-Saxon] to *divide*, or *portion out*, i. e., fortuitously: it answers to the Greek κληρος, which some think comes from κλαω *to* *break*; because the lot, being a sort of appeal to God, ("The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord," [Proverbs 16:33](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/33),) *broke* off all contentions and litigations relative to the matter in dispute. From this original division of the promised land by *lot* to the children of Israel, all *portions, appointments*, *offices, shares*, or *divisions* in spiritual and ecclesiastical matters, were termed *lots*. So in the New Testament, the word κληρος, *lot*, is used to signify a *portion of spiritual blessedness,* and κληρονομια, a *division by lot*, an *inheritance*; and κληροι the *lotted* or *appointed persons* to different works, shares, c. hence our word *clergy*, κληροι, *persons appointed by lot* to a lot, portion, or inheritance; see the case of Matthias, [Acts 1:26](../../../kjv/acts/1/26). Persons thus appointed were by accommodation termed *inheritors*, because originally, when there could be no *claims* of exclusive *right*, all lands where a wandering tribe chose to take up its residence were divided by lot, as the promised land in the case before us. So Judah says to Simeon his brother, [Judges 1:3](../../../kjv/judges/1/3): "Come up with me into my *lot*." And as God was ever supposed to be the whole disposer in such matters, whatever *fell out* in the course of God's *providence* was called a *lot*. "This is the *lot* of them that rob us;" [Isaiah 17:14](../../../kjv/isaiah/17/14). "Thou hast neither part nor *lot* in this matter;" [Acts 8:21](../../../kjv/acts/8/21). A *lot* in the promised *land* was evidently *typical* of a *place* in *eternal glory*. "That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance (κληρον, a *lot*) among them that are sanctified;" [Acts 26:18](../../../kjv/acts/26/18). "Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance, κληρου, of the *lot*) of the saints in light;" [Colossians 1:12](../../../kjv/colossians/1/12). "Which is the earnest of our inheritance, (κληρονομιας, of our *allotted portion*;") [Ephesians 1:4](../../../kjv/ephesians/1/4). "What is the riches of the glory of his inheritance," (κληρονομιας, *allotted portion*;) [Ephesians 1:18](../../../kjv/ephesians/1/18). As therefore the promised land was divided by lot to the believing Israelites, God determining the lot as he saw good, none of the people having any *claim* on or *right* to it; so the kingdom of heaven is a *lot* given by the mere good will of God to them that believe and obey him; for as unbelief and disobedience threw 600,000 people out of the inheritance of the promised land; so none who disbelieve God's word, and rebel against his authority, shall ever enter into the kingdom of heaven. - See *Ainsworth*. These things happened unto them for examples: see then, reader, that thou fall not after the same example of unbelief.

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