And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.
The listing preserves two families from Pharez within Judah, the Hezronites from Hezron and the Hamulites from Hamul. It belongs to the second numbering in Numbers 26, taken in the plains of Moab at the close of the forty years in the wilderness, just before entering Canaan. That numbering came nearly forty years after leaving Egypt and thirty-eight years after the first census at Sinai in Numbers 1.
By that time every man counted in the first numbering had died in the wilderness except Caleb and Joshua. The people had been wicked and had broken out in open, wanton rebellion against God, so He swore to shut them out of the promised land and doom them to die in the wilderness. The new total therefore proves His threatened judgments were fully accomplished, with not one rebel left alive.
The second census is to be set beside the first in Numbers 1 to note the difference among the tribes. The comparison shows how they gained or lost members on the wilderness journey, some increasing greatly and others falling off and decreasing. With the surrounding laws and ordinances it makes a diversified reading of interest and profit that contains valuable instruction.
The record stands as instruction and warning to those upon whom the ends of the world are come. Their hopes of entering the kingdom of God cannot be stronger, nor their tokens of God's favor and presence and willingness to save greater, than Israel's at the first numbering. If they carry sin in their hearts they will likewise come short of the promise, for sin inevitably brings ruin.
The listing preserves two families from Pharez within Judah, the Hezronites from Hezron and the Hamulites from Hamul.
It belongs to the second numbering in Numbers 26, taken in the plains of Moab at the close of the forty years in the wilderness, just before entering Canaan.
That numbering came nearly forty years after leaving Egypt and thirty-eight years after the first census at Sinai in Numbers 1.
By that time every man counted in the first numbering had died in the wilderness except Caleb and Joshua.
The people had been wicked and had broken out in open, wanton rebellion against God, so He swore to shut them out of the promised land and doom them to die in the wilderness.
The new total therefore proves His threatened judgments were fully accomplished, with not one rebel left alive.
The second census is to be set beside the first in Numbers 1 to note the difference among the tribes.
The comparison shows how they gained or lost members on the wilderness journey, some increasing greatly and others falling off and decreasing.
With the surrounding laws and ordinances it makes a diversified reading of interest and profit that contains valuable instruction.
The record stands as instruction and warning to those upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Their hopes of entering the kingdom of God cannot be stronger, nor their tokens of God's favor and presence and willingness to save greater, than Israel's at the first numbering.
If they carry sin in their hearts they will likewise come short of the promise, for sin inevitably brings ruin.