Numbers 26

Counted and known

“Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel.” ~ Numbers 26:2

Have you ever wondered if your faithfulness really counts when things change and people come and go in your life? Today’s scripture reading looks like just a long list of names and numbers, but it carries a powerful reminder for God’s people still today. It reminds us that God sees generations pass, circumstances shift, and still He knows every person by name and the purpose they were created for in their time in this world.

Below are three truths to consider as you read this passage:

1. God values faithfulness across seasons.

This chapter records a new generation counted after a difficult wilderness journey, showing that God continues His work even when the things change in the world.

Apply this truth by staying faithful to where He has placed you and the direction He gives you in the place you are in right now. Whether it feels productive or quiet, showing up daily in prayer, service, and obedience, trusting God to use your consistency for a future impact.

2. God prepares inheritance before you arrive.

The census was used to assign land, showing that God was already planning provision before the people stepped into it.

Today trust that God is preparing opportunities, relationships, and spiritual growth ahead of you, even if you cannot see them yet, by making wise choices now that honor Him and position you well for what is coming.

3. God remembers lessons from the past to guide the future.

The chapter notes who did not enter the promised land, reminding the people that obedience mattered and choices carry lasting weight and consequences.

Learn from past mistakes without shame, allow God to teach you through experience, and choose a better path forward by listening closely to His direction in everyday decisions.

I have lived my life in both faithfulness and unfaithfulness, so I know there are clear and obvious distinctions. I am so thankful that today those unfaithful times can be redeemed through repentance and cleansing by the blood and sacrifice of my Lord Jesus. The difference now is that I ask for His empowering grace to help me hear His direction and follow it, instead of doing what I think is best for me or what I want most. It is not always easy but living life by following the One who designed it, doing my best work, and living with a Kingdom of God mind set and motivation truly is the blessed life. There have been times when I questioned whether my efforts mattered, but in the end, I always see how God used my faithfulness to prepare me for new responsibility, deeper compassion, and clearer purpose. He was counting my obedience even when I was only aware of the struggle.

Today I want to encourage you to remember that you are seen, counted, and known by God, your faithfulness today is shaping tomorrow, and the Lord who carried His people from generation to generation is still at work in your life, preparing provision, purpose, and promise as you continue to walk with Him.

Today’s scripture reading: Numbers 26

1 And it came to pass, after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: 

2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel.” 

3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying: 

4 “Take a census of the people from twenty years old and above, just as the Lord commanded Moses and the children of Israel who came out of the land of Egypt.”

5 Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. The children of Reuben were: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; 

6 of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites. 

7 These are the families of the Reubenites: those who were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. 

8 And the son of Pallu was Eliab. 

9 The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord; 

10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign. 

11 Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.

12 The sons of Simeon according to their families were: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites; 

13 of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 

14 These are the families of the Simeonites: twenty-two thousand two hundred.

15 The sons of Gad according to their families were: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites; 

16 of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites; 

17 of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites. 

18 These are the families of the sons of Gad according to those who were numbered of them: forty thousand five hundred.

19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 

20 And the sons of Judah according to their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Parzites; of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. 

21 And the sons of Perez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 

22 These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them: seventy-six thousand five hundred.

23 The sons of Issachar according to their families were: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puah, the family of the Punites; 

24 of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. 

25 These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them: sixty-four thousand three hundred.

26 The sons of Zebulun according to their families were: of Sered, the family of the Sardites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 

27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them: sixty thousand five hundred.

28 The sons of Joseph according to their families, by Manasseh and Ephraim, were: 

29 The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir begot Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. 

30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites; 

31 of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites; 

32 of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. 

33 Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters; and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 

34 These are the families of Manasseh; and those who were numbered of them were fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites; of Becher, the family of the Bachrites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 

36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. 

37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those who were numbered of them: thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph according to their families.

38 The sons of Benjamin according to their families were: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites; 

39 of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 

40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. 

41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand six hundred.

42 These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families. 

43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those who were numbered of them, were sixty-four thousand four hundred.

44 The sons of Asher according to their families were: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites; of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. 

45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. 

46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. 

47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were numbered of them: fifty-three thousand four hundred.

48 The sons of Naphtali according to their families were: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites; 

49 of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. 

50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families; and those who were numbered of them were forty-five thousand four hundred.

51 These are those who were numbered of the children of Israel: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

52 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 

53 “To these the land shall be divided as an inheritance, according to the number of names. 

54 To a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. 

55 But the land shall be divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. 

56 According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller.”

57 And these are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 

58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begot Amram. 

59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and to Amram she bore Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriam. 

60 To Aaron were born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 

61 And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the Lord.

62 Now those who were numbered of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and above; for they were not numbered among the other children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the children of Israel.

63 These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 

64 But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai. 

65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Journal:

• Where has God been asking me to stay faithful in my current season?
• What past lessons is God using to prepare me for what is ahead?
• How can I trust God more fully with the future He is already planning for me?