Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

After the plague, the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar, Aaron's son, saying, "Take a count of all the people of Israel from twenty years old and upward by their families. Count every able-bodied man who can go out to war in Israel."

Moses and Eleazar did as the Lord commanded them in the plains of Moab near Jericho. They took a census of the people from twenty years old and upward, just as the Lord had instructed Moses and the Israelites when they left Egypt.

The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were counted according to their families: Hanoch's family was known as the Hanochites, Pallu's family as the Palluites. There were also Hezron's family, called the Hezronites, and Carmi's family, called the Carmites.

These were the Reubenite clans, and a total of 43,730 men went to war for them.

Pallu had a son named Eliab, whose descendants included Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These three men opposed Moses and Aaron when they rebelled against the Lord along with Korah's company. When that rebellion took place, the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with Korah, in a fire that consumed 250 men.

Notwithstanding their fathers' defiance of God, the children of Korah did not die.

The Simeonite clans were counted according to their families: Nemuel's family was known as the Nemuelites, Jamin's family as the Jaminites, and Jachin's family as the Jachinites. There were also Zerah's family, called the Zarhites, and Shaul's family, called the Shaulites.

These were the Simeonite clans, numbering 22,200 men who went to war for them.

The Gadite clans were counted according to their families: Zephon's family was known as the Zephonites, Haggi's family as the Haggites, and Shuni's family as the Shunites. There were also Ozni's family, called the Oznites, Eri's family, called the Erites, Arod's family, called the Arodites, and Areli's family, called the Arelites.

These were the Gadite clans, numbering 40,500 men who went to war for them.

The Judahite clans were counted according to their families: Shelah's family was known as the Shelanites, Perez's family as the Pharzites, and Zerah's family as the Zarhites. There were also Hezron's descendants through Hamul, whose family was known as the Hamulites.

These were the Judahite clans, numbering 66,500 men who went to war for them.

The Issacharite clans were counted according to their families: Tola's family was known as the Tolaites, Pua's family as the Punites, Jashub's family as the Jashubites, and Shimron's family as the Shimronites.

These were the Issacharite clans, numbering 64,300 men who went to war for them.

The Zebulunite clans were counted according to their families: Sard's family was known as the Sardites from Sered, Elon's family as the Elonites from Elon, and Jahleel's family as the Jahleelites from Jahleel.

These were the Zebulunite clans, numbering 60,500 men who went to war for them.

The Josephite clans were counted according to their families: Manasseh and Ephraim.

Manasseh had descendants through Machir, whose family was known as the Gileadites. Gilead's descendants included Jeezer's family, Helek's family, Asriel's family, Shechem's family, Shemida's family, and Hepher's family.

Zelophehad son of Hepher, however, did not have any sons, but only daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These were the Manassehite clans, numbering 52,700 men who went to war for them.

Ephraim had descendants through Shuthelah's family, Becher's family, Tahan's family, Eran's family, and other families.

These were the Ephraimite clans, numbering 32,500 men who went to war for them.

The Josephite clans totaled 85,200 men who went to war for them.

The Benjaminite clans were counted according to their families: Bela's family was known as the Belaites, Ashbel's family as the Ashbelites, Ahiram's family as the Ahiramites. There were also Shupham's family, called the Shuphamites, and Hupham's family, called the Huphamites.

Bela's descendants included Ard's family and Naaman's family. These were the Benjaminite clans, numbering 45,600 men who went to war for them.

The Danite clan was counted according to its families: Shuham's family was known as the Shuhamites.

These were the Danite clans, numbering 64,400 men who went to war for them.

The Asherite clans were counted according to their families: Jimna's family was known as the Jimnites, Jesui's family as the Jesuites, Beriah's family as the Beriites. There were also two families among Beriah's descendants: Heber's family and Malchiel's family.

These were the Asherite clans, numbering 53,400 men who went to war for them.

The Naphtalite clans were counted according to their families: Jahzeel's family was known as the Jahzeelites, Guni's family as the Gunites, Jezer's family as the Jezerites, and Shillem's family as the Shillemites.

These were the Naphtalite clans, numbering 45,400 men who went to war for them.

The total number of men counted from Israel was 601,730.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Divide the land among the Israelites according to their numbers. Give more inheritance to those with larger families and less to those with smaller families."

However, the land would be divided by lot according to the tribes' names, and they would inherit it accordingly.

These were the Levite clans: Gershon's family was known as the Gershonites, Kohath's family as the Kohathites, and Merari's family as the Merarites. There were also Libni's family, Hebron's family, Mahli's family, Mushi's family, and Korah's family.

These clans totaled 22,000 men, who had no inheritance among the Israelites since they served the Lord instead of fighting in battle.

Moses counted the Levites along with Eleazar the priest in the plains of Moab near Jericho. They counted every male over a month old, but not one from those first counted by Moses and Aaron in the wilderness of Sinai was included this time.

The Lord had said to them at that time, "They shall surely die in the wilderness," and only Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun were spared.