Westminster Annotations, Numbers · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI.
Vers. 1. AFter the plague] Which came upon them for their double pollution, by fornication, and Idolatrie, noted in the precedent Chapter.
V. 2. Take the summe] This third numbering of the people, (now in the limits of the Land of promise) was for more commodious distribution, and disposall of them in their severall portions. See vers. 53, 54.
V. 3. neere Jericho] Where the River in its course turneth towards Jericho.
V. 10. a signe] Or monument of their wickednesse and Gods justice, for caution and warning to others.
V. 11. died not] By the fall of fire from heaven above, nor by the opening of the earth below; being either not guilty of their fathers transgression, or repenting of that guilt to their preservation.
V. 12. The sonnes of Simeon] Gen. 46. 10. & Exod. 6. 15. there are sixe sonnes of Simeon number; but in this place, as also 1 Chron. 4. 24. onelyonly five are named, for Obed the sixth is omitted, whereof the reason was, because he died without issue; and so having no family there was no need to name him here, having no portion in the Land of Canaan.
V. 19. in the land of Canaan] Where Jacob sojourned before he went into Egypt, Gen. 37. 1.
V. 36. Eran, or Edan] As the name is varied, by reason of the similitude of the two Hebrew letters, Daleth and Resh.
V. 38. The sonnes of Benjamin] They were tenne, Gen. 46. 21. of whom onelyonly five are here mentioned; is is like the rest were dead without issue, or their posteritie did not long continue.
V. 51. numbred] In this third time of their numbring, their number is lesse, now after their enlargement, then when they were in bondage and oppressed; a manifest evidence of Gods power to worke above the operation of ordinary meanes, against all impediments, to perfect his owne purpose; as also an instance of the impotency of means, save so farre as the blessing of God doth make them effectuall. See Annot. on Chap. 1. v. 2.
V 54. Thou] That is, not Moses, for he lived not to divide the land on the other side of Jordan; but he to whom the government of the people was committed in his stead, that was Joshua.
V. 56. according to the lot] Verse 54. it is said, To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the lesse inheritance; which sheweth that the partition of the land was to be made with proportion to the people, how then was it to be divided by lots? Answ. Part of the land on the one side Jordan was already divided, (though without lot) betwixt the children of Reuben and Gad, and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh, beyond Jordan to them that come of Egypt, Numb. 32. 4, 5. The other part was by Geometricall skill (as Josephus observeth, Antiq. lib. 5. cap. 1.) to be divided into nine parts and an halfe; which parts some conceive to have beene made Geom…trically equall, yet so as that according to the fruitfulnesse or unfruitfulnesse of the ground, the proportion was more or lesse; whence Benjamin had more company and lesse land then other Tribes; because his portion fell in a more fertil soyle: but it may be the parts were unequally divided, and made proportionable to the Tribes, that is, for the Tribes of the greatest number the greatest proportion, and so descending by lesse measure to the least, according to the number of the Tribes, and the goodnesse of the ground: after this division, equall or unequall, the lots were cast, and each Tribe having taken his lot, if the division were into unequall parts, (unequall among themselves, but equall according to the proportion of the Tribes) then it was both by proportion and by lot also, the Lord directing the lot to light according to the proportionable division before mentioned; but if the parts were equall, then if the lots being cast and any one had lesse then sufficient, there was an addition made by estimation without lot, as to the children of Joseph, Josh. 17. from v. 14. to the end of the Chapter, and so Judah having partly by the favour of his lot a large proportion, and partly by valour making himselfe more roome by removing and rooting out the Canaanites, parted with some of his portion to the Tribe of Simeon which needed an augmentation of measure in regard of their number. Or taking the first assignation of portions (after the generall and Geometricall division of the land) to be by lot, the subdivision into families might be by particular estimation and proportion, according to vers. 54. and by that the measure being made as equall as might be, if yet any were not pleased to take his part by such a partition according to anothers discretion and appointment, they might have recourse to lots againe, and so take their share by the disposition of Gods providence, Pro. 16. 33. and so be quiet, occasion of strife being by that meanes cut off, Pro. 18. 18. Now though the division at first were made into nine parts and an halfe, (as hath beene said) yet the particular possession and acceptation of these parts was put off for some years; either because the first division was not thought for want of fidelitie or skill, to be rightly made, or because the Canaanites were not presently driven out from among them. There was afterward another surveigh and partition made into seven parts, for there were seven Tribes which yet had not received their inheritance, and it was brought to Joshua in a booke, concerning which he was by lot to make a distribution among the Tribes, which yet were not accommodated to their content, whereof see Josh. 18. vers. 6, 8, 9, 10.
V. 57. of the Levites] The sons of Levi were eleven, Exod. 6. 17, 18, 19. 1 Chron. 23. but here onelyonly eight of the principall families are mentioned, the rest might be omitted, because the Levites had not feverall portions in the land of Canaan as the other Tribes had.
V. 62. from a monethmonth old] The other Tribes were reckoned from twenty yeares old and upwards, as serviceable for the warres, from which the Levites were exempt; and they were reckoned from a monethmonth old, because they were taken in stead of the first-borne, who at that age were offered unto the Lord. See Annot. on Chap. 3. vers. 15.
V. 65. not a man] Wherein the veritie of Gods prediction and commination was manifested.
save Caleb] That is, of the Tribes among whom the land of Canaan was to be divided; for of the Levites there remained Moses, Eleazar, Ithamar, and it may be some more of those who were numbred at Mount Sinai.