Numbers 26:17

Study note

Setting — Moses records a second census of Israel on the plains of Moab, addressing the tribal leaders and the congregation. He lists the families belonging to the tribe of Gad as the nation prepares to cross the Jordan.

The words — הָ/אֲרוֹדִ֑י (ha./a.ro.Di) translates literally to "the Arodite[s]," and הָ/אַרְאֵלִֽי (ha./ar.'e.Li) translates to "the Arelite[s]," both functioning as patronymic identifiers for distinct familial groups.

The thread — The names originate in Genesis 46:16 as sons of Gad and function within the Numbers 26:16–18 registration that totals the Gadite population at 40,500.

Why it lands — The text states that these specific clans were formally counted and named for tribal inheritance and military organization. A reader must acknowledge the passage’s genealogical specificity as the administrative basis for the tribe’s future land allotment and national structure.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.