Numbers 26:5-11 · Bible study
Numbers 26:5-11 Commentary: Reuben's Census and the Cost of Rebellion
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the second census starts with Reuben, the decrease in his numbers, and the survival of Korah's sons as a sign of judgment and mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The second census records Reuben’s decrease and uses the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram to explain the loss, while highlighting that Korah’s sons survived by God’s mercy.
- Key words: Nes (נֵס, sign/banner) in v.10; the verb lo metu (לֹא־מֵתוּ, did not die) in v.11; mishpachah (מִשְׁפָּחָה, clan/family) repeated.
- Main debate: Whether v.10 means Korah himself was swallowed (“together with Korah”) or only his belongings (Barnes, JFB favor the latter; Clarke notes the Samaritan text has Korah burned with the 250).
- Theological theme: Judgment and mercy intertwined, God’s justice on rebellion and His sovereign freedom to preserve a remnant.
- Best use: A passage for teaching about consequences of sin, God’s faithfulness across generations, and hope for families with a troubled past.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
5Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. These were the descendants of Reuben: The Hanochite clan from Hanoch, the Palluite clan from Pallu,
6the Hezronite clan from Hezron, and the Carmite clan from Carmi.
7These were the clans of Reuben, and their registration numbered 43,730.
8Now the son of Pallu was Eliab,
9and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who fought against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD.
10And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.
11However, the line of Korah did not die out.
WEB World English Bible 2000
5Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;
6of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7These are the families of the Reubenites; and those who were counted of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred thirty.
8The son of Pallu: Eliab.
9The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram who were called by the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah when they rebelled against Yahweh;
10and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died; at the time the fire devoured two hundred fifty men, and they became a sign.
11Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah didn’t die.
KJV King James Version 1769
5Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:
6Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
8And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.
9And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the Lord:
10And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
11Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
5Reuben, the first-born of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;
6of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7These are the families of the Reubenites; and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
8And the sons of Pallu: Eliab.
9And the sons of Eliab: Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. These are that Dathan and Abiram, who were called of the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against Jehovah,
10and the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died; what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men, and they became a sign.
11Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah died not.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
5Reuben, first-born of Israel--sons of Reuben: of Hanoch is the family of the Hanochite; of Pallu the family of the Palluite;
6of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Carmi the family of the Carmite.
7These are families of the Reubenite, and their numbered ones are three and forty thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
8And the son of Pallu is Eliab;
9and the sons of Eliab are Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram; this is that Dathan and Abiram, called ones of the company, who have striven against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, in their striving against Jehovah,
10and the earth openeth her mouth, and swalloweth them and Korah, in the death of the company, in the fire consuming the two hundred and fifty men, and they become a sign;
11and the sons of Korah died not.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
5Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: the children of Reuben: [of] Enoch, the family of the Enochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;
6of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
7These are the families of the Reubenites; and they that were numbered of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.
8And the sons of Pallu: Eliab;
9and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, summoned of the assembly, who contended against Moses and against Aaron in the band of Korah, when they contended against Jehovah.
10And the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that band died, when the fire devoured the two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign.
11But the children of Korah died not.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
5Ruben the firstborn of Israel. His sons were Henoch, of whom is the family of the Henochites: and Phallu, of whom is the family of the Phalluites:
6And Hesron, of whom is the family of the Hesronites: and Charmi, of whom is the family of the Charmites.
7These are the families of the stock of Ruben: whose number was found to be forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty.
8The son of Phallu was Eliab.
9His sons, were Namuel and Dathan and Abiron. These are Dathan and Abiron the princes of the people, that rose against Moses and Aaron in the sedition of Core, when they rebelled against the Lord:
10And the earth opening her mouth swallowed up Core, many others dying, when the fire burned two hundred and fifty men. And there was a great miracle wrought,
11That when Core perished, his sons did not perish.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Numbers 26:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Reuben opens the second census because he was Jacob’s firstborn (Genesis 29:32; 46:8). His tribe’s drop from 46,500 to 43,730, a loss of 2,770 men, is directly tied to the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, Reubenites who joined Korah against Moses and Aaron. Wesley and Gill both attribute the decrease to that conspiracy and other provocations. The parenthetical note (vv. 9-11) serves double duty: it explains why Reuben’s numbers fell and it preserves a sign of God’s judgment. As Barnes observes, the phrase “together with Korah” likely means the belongings of Korah perished with the rebels, since Korah himself died by fire with the 250 incense bearers (Numbers 16:35). Clarke carefully reconciles the account with Numbers 16:27, noting that only Dathan and Abiram’s families were swallowed; Korah’s sons survived. The passage thus intertwines a dry census with a living warning, and then immediately turns to mercy: “Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah didn’t die.”
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judgment as explanation for decrease: Reuben’s drop of 2,770 is directly caused by the rebellion (Wesley, Gill); the census note functions as a moral explanation for the numbers.
- Korah swallowed vs. burned: The plain text (v.10) suggests swallowing; the parallel in Numbers 16:35 suggests burning; Barnes and JFB harmonize by reading 'et Korach as 'the belongings of Korah,' but others accept the surface reading.
- Sons of Korah spared by repentance vs. sovereign mercy: Targum Jonathan and Wesley emphasize their separation; Calvin, Gill, and JFB emphasize God’s free grace without specifying the sons’ actions.
What is clear: Reuben’s tribe did decrease, the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram is cited as the cause, and the sons of Korah were preserved – these facts are not in dispute.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Why Reuben is listed first | Reuben was Jacob's firstborn (Genesis 29:32) and retains that position in tribal lists even after losing the birthright (1 Chronicles 5:1). | Some emphasize that the listing is purely genealogical convention; others see it as a deliberate contrast, the firstborn tribe shrank because of rebellion, a subtle lesson in humility. |
| The manner of Korah's death | Korah perished in the judgment along with Dathan, Abiram, and the 250 men. | Was he swallowed by the earth (so the plain reading of v.10, followed by KJV, WEB) or consumed by fire? Barnes, JFB, and Clarke argue the Hebrew can mean 'the things of Korah' were swallowed, while Korah himself died by fire with the 250 incense bearers (Numbers 16:35). |
| Why the sons of Korah survived | God spared them, and they later became temple musicians and authors of psalms. | Jewish and Christian traditions differ on the reason: some say they repented and separated from their father (Targum of Jonathan, Wesley), while others point to God's sovereign mercy without specifying their actions (Calvin, Gill). |
| The purpose of inserting the rebellion here | The passage explains Reuben's population loss and sets the event as a public warning (a sign). | Matthew Henry reads it as a warning against rebellion; Calvin sees it as an occasion to marvel at God's 'various and unequal judgments.' Some stress the didactic purpose, others the doxological, that out of judgment came a family of worshippers. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The second census of Numbers 26 takes place in the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan, shortly after a plague killed 24,000 Israelites (Numbers 25). The generation that left Egypt has nearly passed away; Moses is about to hand leadership to Joshua. God commands a new count of every man twenty years old and upward who can go to war, the army that will conquer Canaan. The first census at Sinai (Numbers 1) listed Reuben with 46,500 men; thirty-eight years later that number has shrunk to 43,730.
Reuben’s position as firstborn explains his tribe’s first listing, even though Jacob’s blessing had transferred the birthright to Joseph’s sons (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). The rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, Reubenites, and the Levite Korah, had occurred years earlier (Numbers 16). In that event the earth opened and swallowed the households of Dathan and Abiram, while fire from Yahweh consumed Korah and 250 leaders who offered unauthorized incense. The text calls that judgment a “sign”, Hebrew נֵס (nes), a banner or portent that warns and astonishes. By including this flashback in the census, Moses reminds the new generation that rebellion against God’s appointed leaders brings severe consequences.
Yet the note also highlights grace: the sons of Korah were spared. Barnes mentions that Samuel the prophet and Heman the singer came from this line (1 Chronicles 6:22,33; 25:5). Several psalms bear the title “of the sons of Korah,” indicating their later role in temple worship. The juxtaposition of judgment and preservation is intentional: the same event that cut off rebels also produced a family of worshippers.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant manuscript variants for Numbers 26:5-11. The main textual question in v.10 is the phrase “together with Korah” (אֶת־קֹרַח, ‘et-Qorach). The Samaritan Pentateuch reads it as referring to the belongings of Korah rather than Korah himself, a reading adopted by Barnes and JFB to harmonize with Numbers 16:35, where Korah dies by fire. The Masoretic Text can be read either way. Verse 11, “the children of Korah died not,” is consistent across all major traditions.
Reception History
Jewish tradition highlighted the repentance of Korah’s sons; the Targum of Jonathan says they dissociated from their father’s conspiracy. Later rabbis saw in their survival a principle that children are not punished for the sins of parents if they choose a different path.
The early church read this passage as a type of God’s mercy preserving a remnant. Calvin’s commentary dwells on the ‘deep abyss’ of God’s judgments, where He cuts off rebels yet raises up worshippers from the same root. The sons of Korah became famous in Christian liturgical history as the namesake of eleven psalms (42-49, 84-85, 87-88). Heman the Ezrahite, a Korahite, is credited with Psalm 88. These psalms, full of lament and trust, have been sung for centuries. The passage thus lives not only in its original context but in every congregation that sings “As the deer pants for the water” (Psalm 42).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God numbers His people with purpose: The census is not bureaucracy but preparation for inheritance. Every name and number matters to the One who keeps covenant.
- Sin leaves a mark on families and tribes: Reuben’s decrease is a measurable consequence of the rebellion. Dathan and Abiram’s choice affected their entire clan’s strength.
- Mercy cuts through judgment: The sons of Korah did not die. What looked like total loss gave way to a line of psalmists. God’s final word is not wrath.
Five-point outline
- Reuben’s primacy and loss: Listed first as firstborn, yet his numbers fell. Leadership does not guarantee flourishing without faithfulness.
- The families named: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi, four clans that carried Reuben’s name into the land.
- The rebellion recalled: Dathan and Abiram, Reubenites who “strove against Yahweh.” Their punishment became a permanent lesson.
- A sign for the nation: The earth swallowing, the fire consuming, these were not just events but warnings set up like a banner (nes) for all Israel.
- The line of Korah preserved: God spared the children. From that spared root came singers, seers, and psalmists for the temple.
Illustration hooks
- A family tree with a branch cut off: In many families, one ancestor’s poor decisions, prison, addiction, betrayal, echo for generations. This passage shows that such a branch can be named honestly, but it need not define the whole tree.
- A warning sign on a dangerous road: The word nes is a banner or signal. Think of a yellow diamond sign that says “DEAD END” or “FALLING ROCKS.” The event of Korah’s rebellion stands as such a sign: you can ignore it, but you do so at your own peril.
- A clean-up after a disaster: Imagine a town that lost families in a flood caused by a broken dam. The census of survivors includes a note: “This is why we’re fewer now. Let this never happen again.”
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible include such dry lists of names and numbers? What spiritual value do they have?
- If God punished Dathan and Abiram so severely, why did He let Korah’s children live? Does repentance matter after the fact?
- My family has a history of rebellion or failure. Does that mean God has written me off?
Leading a Discussion
Numbers 26:5-11 is a census list with an unexpected story embedded. It links the raw numbers of Israel’s army to a specific act of rebellion that happened a generation earlier. As you read, notice how the text moves from genealogy to judgment, then to mercy. Ask yourselves: why include this memory in a dry count of fighting men?
Discussion questions
- What do you observe about the structure of these verses? How does the account of Dathan and Abiram interrupt the census pattern?
- Why do you think the tribe of Reuben is listed first even though its numbers decreased? What does Reuben’s position as firstborn mean for his tribe’s standing?
- The Hebrew word nes (v. 10) means a standard, banner, or portent. In what ways did this event function as a “sign” for Israel? What warnings does it carry for today?
- Compare this census with the total in Numbers 1. Reuben dropped by 2,770 men. How does that loss connect to the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, who were Reubenites? (See also the commentators: Wesley, Gill, JFB.)
- Verse 11 says “the sons of Korah didn’t die.” How does that detail affect the way you read the whole passage? What does it tell you about God’s character?
- The family of Korah later served in the temple and wrote psalms. How can a story of judgment become a story of redemption for a family or a church?
- How does this passage help you think about the legacy you are leaving? Is there a “sign” in your own life, good or bad, that you want future generations to learn from?
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 29:32 | Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” |
| Genesis 46:8 | These are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. |
| Genesis 46:9 | The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. |
| Genesis 49:2 | Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father. |
| Genesis 49:3 | “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in dignity, and excelling in power. |
| Exodus 6:14 | These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. |
| I Chronicles 5:1 | The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be listed according to the birthright. |
| I Chronicles 5:3 | the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. |
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
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke resolves the apparent contradiction between Numbers 16 and 26 by noting that only the families of Dathan and Abiram are explicitly listed among those swallowed up. Korah’s children are not mentioned there, which explains why they survived and later appear in the genealogy.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the remarkable decrease in Simeon's tribe, which lost more than half its men between the two censuses. He links this to Zimri's transgression and the plague, and notes that Simeon alone receives no mention in Moses' parting blessing. The
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin focuses on the profound mystery of God's unequal judgments: some from the same family were destroyed while others were spared and later honored. He notes that the repetition of this history serves as a perpetual example, using the Hebrew word "nes" to mean a
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 notes highlight that Dathan and Abiram were famous in the congregation for their rebellion against Moses and Aaron, yet they also stress that not all of Korah's sons died. This distinction separates the rebels who were swallowed up from Korah's own descendants, who were spared in the judgment.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that Korah was not swallowed up by the earth with Dathan and Abiram but perished separately by fire with the 250 men offering incense. He also notes that Korah's children survived and later became singers in David's time, preserved because they rejected their father's rebellion.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that while the rebellion of Korah brought judgment on Reuben's families, Korah's own children survived and later became a prominent family of temple musicians mentioned in many Psalms. The commentator also clarifies that the earth swallowed "the things of Korah" rather than Korah himself.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that this census has a different purpose from the first. The earlier numbering organized the army for the wilderness, but this one, taken near Jericho after the plague, prepares for the division of Canaan by inheritance according to each tribe's size.
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 notes that the tribe's numbers dropped from 46,500 to 43,730, a loss he links directly to Korah's rebellion and other sins. He stresses that Korah's sons survived because they distanced themselves from their father's actions and tent, making them a warning to others.