After the terrible plague that swept through Israel, the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar, the son of Aaron, saying, "Take a census of the whole Israelite community—every man twenty years old and above, all who are able to fight in Israel's army."
So, there on the plains of Moab, across from Jericho, Moses and Eleazar gathered the people. Under the bright sun, the tribes stood by families, ready to be counted. This was not the same generation that had once trembled at Mount Sinai. That generation had fallen in the wilderness, just as the Lord had said. Now, their sons stood in their place—strong, seasoned by desert life, and ready to enter the land of promise.
The counting began:
From Reuben, Israel's firstborn, came the clans of Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi—forty-three thousand, seven hundred and thirty men in all. Among them were the descendants of Eliab—Dathan and Abiram—the same men who had rebelled against Moses with Korah, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them alive. But the line of Korah did not die out.
From Simeon came the clans of Nemuel, Jamin, Jakin, Zerah, and Shaul—twenty-two thousand, two hundred men.
From Gad came Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ozni, Eri, Arodi, and Areli—forty thousand, five hundred men.
From Judah came Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. The descendants of Perez were Hezron and Hamul—seventy-six thousand, five hundred men.
From Issachar came Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron—sixty-four thousand, three hundred men.
From Zebulun came Sered, Elon, and Jahleel—sixty thousand, five hundred men.
From Joseph came the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim.
From Manasseh came Makir, the father of Gilead, and his descendants—fifty-two thousand, seven hundred men. Zelophehad, son of Hepher, had no sons, only daughters—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah—whose names would soon be remembered for their boldness.
From Ephraim came Shuthelah, Beker, and Tahan—thirty-two thousand, five hundred men.
From Benjamin came Bela, Ashbel, Ahiram, Shupham, and Hupham—forty-five thousand, six hundred men.
From Dan came the Shuhamite clan—sixty-four thousand, four hundred men.
From Asher came Imnah, Ishvi, Beriah, and a daughter named Serah—fifty-three thousand, four hundred men.
From Naphtali came Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem—forty-five thousand, four hundred men.
When the counting was complete, the total number of Israelite men able to go to war was 601,703.
Then the Lord said to Moses, "The land shall be divided among them according to their numbers. To the larger tribes give more land, and to the smaller tribes give less. Yet the inheritance shall be assigned by lot, for every tribe's portion will fall as I decide."
The Levites, who served in the Lord's presence, were counted separately. Their clans were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Among them were the Libnites, Hebronites, Mahlites, Mushites, and Korahites. From Kohath's line came Amram, whose wife Jochebed gave birth to Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
Aaron's sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar—but Nadab and Abihu had died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. The total number of male Levites one month old or more was 23,000. They were not given a share of the land, for their inheritance was the Lord Himself.
So Moses and Eleazar completed the census there on the plains of Moab by the Jordan River, across from Jericho. And when they compared the numbers, they saw that none from the first census in the wilderness of Sinai remained—none but Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun, the only two who had believed the Lord's promise and lived to see it fulfilled.
The new generation was ready. The land awaited them beyond the Jordan.