Numbers 26:12-14 · Bible study
Numbers 26:12-14 Commentary: The Shrinking of Simeon's Tribe
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Numbers 26 reveals a dramatic census drop for Simeon. Commentators connect it to Baal-Peor: judgment, missing clans, and a lesson in divine holiness.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Simeon’s tribe experienced the largest population drop of any tribe between the two censuses, likely as a result of divine judgment following the sin at Baal-Peor.
- Key words: clan (מִשְׁפָּחָה, mishpachah), the basic social and inheritance unit; Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah, Shaul, the surviving clan heads.
- Main debate: How much of the decrease is directly tied to Baal-Peor? Most commentators see a direct link, but the text does not explicitly state the cause.
- Theological theme: Divine holiness and justice, sin has corporate consequences, yet God preserves a remnant and fulfills His covenant promises.
- Best use: A sobering case study in the reality of judgment for a community, balanced by God’s continuing faithfulness to His people.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
12These were the descendants of Simeon by their clans: The Nemuelite clan from Nemuel, the Jaminite clan from Jamin, the Jachinite clan from Jachin,
13the Zerahite clan from Zerah, and the Shaulite clan from Shaul.
14These were the clans of Simeon, and there were 22,200 men.
WEB World English Bible 2000
12The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;
13of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.
KJV King James Version 1769
12The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:
13Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
12The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;
13of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
12Sons of Simeon by their families: of Nemuel is the family of the Nemuelite; of Jamin the family of the Jaminite; of Jachin the family of the Jachinite;
13of Zerah the family of the Zarhite; of Shaul the family of the Shaulite.
14These are families of the Simeonite, two and twenty thousand and two hundred.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
12The sons of Simeon, after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;
13of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites; of Saul, the family of the Saulites.
14These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
12The sons of Simeon by their kindreds: Namuel, of him is the family of the Namuelites: Jamin, of him is the family of the Jaminites: Jachim, of him is the family of the Jachimites:
13Zare, of him is the family of the Zarites: Saul, of him is the family of the Saulites.
14These are the families of the stock of Simeon, of which the whole number was twenty-two thousand two hundred.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Numbers 26:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
All major commentators agree that Simeon’s tribe suffered by far the greatest decline between the first and second censuses. The first count (Numbers 1:23) recorded 59,300 men; now the number stands at 22,200, a drop of more than 37,000. Matthew Gill attributes this chiefly to the plague that followed the sin at Baal-Peor, noting that a prince of Simeon, Zimri, was a ringleader (Numbers 25). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown state plainly that Simeon “had been pre-eminent in the guilt of Baal-peor.” John Wesley adds that “most of the twenty-four thousand cut off by the plague for the iniquity of Peor were of that tribe.” The Cambridge Bible lists Simeon among the five tribes that decreased, while the other seven increased. The commentators also note that one clan, the descendants of Ohad, listed in Genesis 46:10 and Exodus 6:15, is completely missing here, suggesting that branch died out in the wilderness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Simeon's tribe experienced the largest numerical drop of any tribe between the two censuses, and this decline is closely associated with the sin and judgment at Baal-Peor (Numbers 25).
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Cause of the population drop | Nearly all commentators connect the huge loss to the sin at Baal-Peor and the resulting plague (Numbers 25). | A few question whether the entire drop is explained by that one event; other factors like the general wilderness mortality may also be at work, but the Baal-Peor link is strongly favoured. |
| Missing clan of Ohad | Ohad is listed in Genesis 46:10 and Exodus 6:15 but absent here, so his clan did not survive the wilderness. | Some suggest Ohad died without children; others conjecture he may have died in the wilderness as a judgment, though the text gives no details. |
| Name variations (Jemuel vs. Nemuel, Zohar vs. Zerah) | The variations are recognized as textual differences; the same person or clan is intended. | Whether these represent scribal variants, intentional name changes due to events, or alternative spellings is not fully settled. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The second census of Numbers 26 takes place on the plains of Moab, after the generation that left Egypt had perished in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29-30). The first census (Numbers 1) counted men for military service; this census serves dual purposes: to prepare for the conquest of Canaan and to allocate the land by inheritance according to clan size (Numbers 26:52-56). The order of tribes follows the standard encampment arrangement, with Reuben first, then Simeon, then Gad, a sequence tied to the birth order of Jacob’s sons.
Between the two censuses came the devastating incident at Baal-Peor (Numbers 25). Moabite women lured Israelite men into idolatry and sexual immorality, provoking a plague that killed 24,000. Zimri, a prince of the house of Simeon, was publicly executed for bringing a Midianite woman into the camp (Numbers 25:6-15). The commentaries of Gill and Wesley connect this directly to the Simeonites’ dramatic numerical loss.
Another critical detail is the variation in clan names. In Genesis 46:10, Simeon’s sons are listed as Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul by a Canaanite woman. Here the names read Nemuel, Jamin, Jachin, Zerah, and Shaul, Ohad and Zohar are missing, and Jemuel has become Nemuel, Zohar has become Zerah. Wesley notes that Jachin is also called Jarib in 1 Chronicles 4:24, and suggests such name changes may reflect “some special occasion not recorded in scripture.” The likely explanation is that Ohad died without heirs, and the clan of Zohar may have been absorbed into another line or gone extinct. Thus the tribe entered Canaan with five clans instead of six, further reducing its strength.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Numbers 26:12-14. The main textual issue is the difference in names between this list and the earlier genealogies in Genesis 46:10 and Exodus 6:15. Matthew Henry and others simply treat the variations as legitimate alternative names. The missing clan of Ohad is not a textual variant but a deliberate omission reflecting that family’s extinction. The total figure “22,200” is consistent across all extant Hebrew manuscripts and early versions consulted.
Reception History
Jewish and Christian interpreters have long read this census as a demonstration of divine justice. The Targums and rabbinic tradition often link Simeon’s decline to the Baal-Peor incident, seeing Zimri’s leadership as bringing judgment upon the entire tribe. Early Protestant commentators such as John Wesley and Matthew Gill followed this line, using the passage to warn against the spread of sin within a community. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown noted that the decrease displayed “God’s justice and holiness” alongside His faithfulness. The later history of the tribe, absorbed into Judah’s territory (Joshua 19:1-9) and rarely mentioned again, was often seen as a fulfilment of Jacob’s curse on Simeon’s anger (Genesis 49:5-7).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- From fifty-nine to twenty-two. The numbers tell a story. Simeon went from 59,300 men to 22,200. This is not a dry statistic; it is a witness to the consequences of sin and the severity of God’s judgment.
- A ringleader remembered. Zimri, a prince of Simeon, led the way into the sin at Baal-Peor. Leaders carry responsibility, and the tribe felt the weight of that failure.
- A missing clan. Ohad’s name is gone. Families can vanish between generations. This silence is as loud as a number, a call to consider what we build that will last.
Five-point outline
- The census context. Numbers 26 is the second muster on the verge of the Promised Land. Why count again? Because the old generation had passed, and a new one needed to know its heritage and its place.
- Simeon’s dramatic drop. No other tribe shrank so much. This verse forces the reader to ask why. The text does not say explicitly, but the near context (Numbers 25) screams the answer.
- Baal-Peor and judgment. The connection is made by nearly every commentator. The sin of idolatry and sexual immorality brought a plague. Simeon was at the centre.
- The missing clan of Ohad. In Genesis 46:10 and Exodus 6:15, Ohad is named among Simeon’s sons. Here he is absent. This is a warning: sin can cut off a family line.
- Grace within judgment. Despite the loss, Simeon still has a place in the land. The tribe is not destroyed. Even in discipline, God preserves a remnant.
Illustration hooks
- A sports team that loses most of its players between seasons because of poor behaviour, the talent was there, but discipline failed.
- A family business that shrinks because one generation made decisions that cost the next generation.
- A person who looks back and sees how a single bad choice reduced possibilities for years, a concrete reminder that actions have long-term effects.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God still punish entire groups for the sins of a few? How do we understand corporate judgment in light of the gospel?
- Why are these numbers and names in the Bible? What am I supposed to take away from a census list?
- If Simeon lost so many people, how did the tribe survive? Is there hope even after devastating loss?
Leading a Discussion
This passage is a list of names and numbers, but it sits at a turning point in Israel’s story. The people are about to enter the land. The old generation is gone. And one tribe, Simeon, has been cut down to a third of its former size. As you work through these questions, let the facts of the census lead you to the deeper truths about God’s holiness, the seriousness of sin, and the hope of a new beginning.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you most in Numbers 26:12-14? Do you normally skip verses like these? Why or why not?
- Compare this census (22,200) with the first census (59,300). What is your reaction to such a sharp decline?
- The book of Numbers places the sin of Baal-Peor in chapter 25, just before this census. How do you see the two passages connected? What does this suggest about God’s character?
- Ohad, a son of Simeon listed in Genesis 46:10, does not appear here. Why might a clan disappear between generations? What does that tell us about the fragility of human legacy?
- Zimri, a Simeonite prince, was executed for his role in the Baal-Peor incident (Numbers 25:14-15). How do the actions of leaders affect the people they lead, for good or ill?
- Despite everything, Simeon still enters Canaan as a tribe with an allotment of land (Joshua 19:1-9). What do you see in this mixture of judgment and mercy?
- This census was taken to prepare for dividing the land. How does knowing that you are entering a promised future change how you read these numbers?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 46:10 | The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. |
| Exodus 6:15 | The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. |
| I Kings 7:21 | He set up the pillars at the porch of the temple. He set up the right pillar and called its name Jachin; and he set up the left pillar and called its name Boaz. |
| I Chronicles 4:24 | The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; |
| Numbers 1:22 | Of the children of Simeon, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, those who were counted of it, according to the number of the names, one by one, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war: |
| Numbers 1:23 | those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred. |
| Numbers 2:12 | “Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. |
| Numbers 2:13 | His division, and those who were counted of them, were fifty-nine thousand three hundred. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes the slight drop in Israel's total fighting men from the first census, from 603,550 to 601,730, and observes that five tribes decreased while seven increased. He also points out that the secular tribes are counted separately from Levi, and that Manasseh now precedes Ephraim in the tribal order.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note simply records the family names and total count for Simeon's descendants. It provides no additional interpretation, treating the census data as a straightforward historical record to be received as given.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that Simeon's tribe suffered an enormous population drop, losing 37,100 people. He attributes this decrease largely to the plague that struck after Israel's sin at Baal-Peor, noting that a prince from Simeon set a sinful example that many in the tribe likely followed, leading to widespread death.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees the census numbers as revealing two sides of God's character. The tribe of Simeon suffered heavy losses for their prominent role in the Baal-peor sin, displaying God's justice and holiness. At the same time, God's truth and faithfulness appear in the extraordinary growth of other tribes, preserving a numerous Israel.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that this second census is not merely a military roll call but a deliberate preparation for inheriting the land. A new generation, purified by the plague and the death of the entire rebellious older generation, is organized so each tribe receives territory proportional to its size, decided by lot from the Lord.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that this census list deliberately names Dathan and Abiram, notorious rebels against Moses and Aaron, as a lasting sign of God's judgment. At the same time, he observes the mercy that spared Korah's children, who did not die with their father. The record thus preserves both a warning and an example of grace.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out that Simeon's tribe shrank drastically from 59,300 to just 22,200, the steepest decline of any tribe. He connects this punishment to specific events: the extinction of one family in the wilderness and the plague at Peor, where Zimri, a Simeonite prince, led the sin. As a result, Moses gave Simeon no blessing and its inheritance in Canaan was tiny.