¹sn The breakdown of ch. 26 for outlining purposes will be essentially according to the tribes of Israel. The format and structure is similar to the first census, and so less comment is necessary here.
²tc The MT has also “saying.”
³tn Heb “house of their fathers.”
⁴tn Heb “everyone who goes out in the army in Israel.”
⁵tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in v. 62).
⁶map For the location of Jericho see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
⁷tn “Number the people” is added here to the text for a smooth reading.
⁸tc The Hebrew text has no preposition here, but one has been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 23, 30, 31, 32.
⁹sn The Reubenites had decreased from 46,500 to 43,730.
¹⁰tc The MT has “and the sons of Pallu.”
¹¹tc This is “Zohar” in Exod 6:15 and Gen 46:10.
¹²sn Before entering Sinai the tribe numbered 59,300, the third largest. Now it was about one-third its original size.
¹³tc The MT of Gen 46:16 reads this as “Ezbon.”
¹⁴tc The Greek version and Samaritan Pentateuch have “Ad[d]i,” probably by confusion of letters.
¹⁵tc Gen 46:16 and the LXX here read “Arodi.”
¹⁶sn The Gadites decreased from 45,650 to 40,500.
¹⁷tc The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek version have “Hamuel.”
¹⁸sn The Judahites increased from 74,600 to 76,500.
¹⁹sn The Issacharites increased from 54,400 to 64,300.
²⁰sn The Zebulunites showed a slight increase from 57,400 to 60,500.
²¹sn The Manassehites increased from 32,200 to 52,700.
²²sn This is a significant reduction from the first count of 40,500.
²³tc With the exception of a few manuscripts the MT has Shephupham. The spelling in the translation above is supported by SP and the ancient versions.
²⁴tc The Greek translation has Adar. Cf. 1 Chr 8:3.
²⁵tc “From Ard” is not in the Hebrew text.
²⁶sn The Benjaminites increased from 35,400 to 45,600. The Greek version has here 35,500.
²⁷sn The Danites increased from 62,700 to 64,400.
²⁸tn Cf. 1 Chr 7:30.
²⁹sn The Asherites increased from 41,500 to 53,400.
³⁰sn The Naphtalites decreased from 53,400 to 45,400.
³¹sn This number shows only a slightly smaller total in the second census; the first was 603,550.
³²tn Heb “to many you will multiply his inheritance.”
³³tn Heb “to a few you will lessen his inheritance.”
³⁴tn Heb “according to those that were numbered of him,” meaning, in accordance with the number of people in his clan.
³⁵tn Heb “divided.”
³⁶tn Heb “who she bore him to Levi.” The verb has no expressed subject. Either one could be supplied, such as “her mother,” or it could be treated as a passive.
³⁷tn The expression “strange fire” (hr`z` va@) seems imprecise and has been interpreted numerous ways (see the helpful summary in Hartley, Leviticus [WBC 5], 132-33). The infraction may have involved any of the following or a combination thereof: (1) using coals from some place other than the burnt offering altar (i.e., “unauthorized coals” according to Milgrom, Leviticus 1-16 [AB], 598; cf. Lev 16:12 and cf. “unauthorized person” rz` vya! in Num 16:40 [17:5 HT], NASB “layman”), (2) using the wrong kind of incense (cf. the Exod 30:9 regulation against “strange incense” hr`z` tr#f)q= on the incense altar and the possible connection to Exod 30:34-38), (3) performing an incense offering at an unprescribed time (Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 59), or (4) entering the Holy of Holies at an inappropriate time (Lev 16:1-2).
sn This event is narrated in Lev 10:1-7.
³⁸map For the location of Jericho see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
³⁹tn “who had been” is added to clarify the text.