Numbers 26:49

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites in the plains of Moab during the second census, enumerating the tribal lineages before the conquest. The verse concludes the Naphtali clan list by naming the final two family groups.

The words — The text records מִשְׁפַּחַת (mishpaḥat), meaning "clan," alongside הַיִּצְרִי (hayyitzrî, "Jezerite") and הַשִּׁלֵּמִי (hassiḥlēmî, "Shillemite"). These terms formally identify the lineage groups before attributing them to their eponymous founders.

The thread — This genealogical record parallels the list of Naphtali’s sons in 1 Chronicles 7:13, which names Jezer and Shallum as descendants of Bilhah. The naming pattern aligns with the clan registration structure throughout Numbers 26.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to recognize the precise preservation of tribal identities for future inheritance distribution. It demands attention to how each family line is formally documented for covenantal land allotment.

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.