Once again, the main outline is from the Open Bible, slightly edited.
The second census (26:1-51)
In preparation for entering Canaan, God had Moses number the people again. This was the sum of the people older than twenty years.
The total number was 601,730. The total number at the first census was 603,550 (Numbers 2:32). How sad. Other than Moses, Joshua, and Caleb (not sure about their wives), 603,477 people died during the 40 years of wandering. That is more than 15,000 each year. The consequences of sin are severe.
The 601,730 people in the new generation have a fresh start. Yes, they had suffered, but God had not forsaken them.
Method for dividing the land (26:52-56)
The amount of land each tribe will inherit will be based on the number of people in each tribe. More people get more land.
The land was to be divided by lot. This does not speak of sections but of the method by which the decisions were made. Lexicons shed various light on the casting of lots. The lot was “pebbles used for systematically making decisions” BDB, probably a stone or stones, to decide questions” CWSD, “Colored stones are used to cast lots to determine a course of action or make a decision.” AHBL. Evidently, God was pleased for the people to use this method, and He guided the outcome. (Proverbs 16:33) “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.”
Exceptions for dividing the land.
None for the Levites (26:57-62).
We remember that the three families of Levites were the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites.
The Levites were not numbered among the people because they would not receive any inheritance. The tithe of the people was their inheritance because they served in the tabernacle.
Old generation is gone (26:63-65).
The old generation which had been numbered in the wilderness of Sinai had all died.
The only survivors were Caleb and Joshua. God rewarded these two men because of their faith in Him when everyone else did not believe.
A special law of inheritance (27:1-11).
A man of the old generation named Zelophehad had no sons, only five daughters. When it came to dividing the land, they were concerned that they would be left out, since the women did not inherit, only the men.
Read their complaint in Numbers 27:3-4.
Moses brought their cause before the Lord to see what He would say about the matter. The Lord agreed that these daughters who had no brothers was a valid complaint. God said they must receive an inheritance, but He put special rules on it (27:7).
God’s judgment provided that the land belonging to a family would never leave that family. Later we learn that the daughters were required to marry within their family so that the land would not leave their tribe (Numbers 36:6).
Principles for Us Today
God is a forgiving God, but we must always think ahead and recall that sin always has consequences. In the case of Israel, the old generation all died without entering the Promised Land because of their unbelief. The devil wants us to focus on our feelings and forget the consequences.
As God blessed Caleb and Joshua for their faith, so God will bless you and me if we have faith.
Is praying and casting lots to make decisions today a valid practice? Why or why not? It seems odd to us, but in Solomon’s day God directed the outcome. Something to ponder. Any comments?
Again, God reminds us that the Levites received no inheritance and that they were depending on the (tithe) pay for their service.
