Numbers 26:43 (KJV)

What does Numbers 26:43 mean?

Numbers 26:43 reports that the families descended from the Shuhamites numbered 64,400 people at the time of the census. This verse is part of a detailed count of the Israelite tribes as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, specifically listing the descendants of Shuham from the tribe of Dan.

Moses is recording the results of a census commanded by God, taken while the Israelites are camped on the plains of Moab. The verse highlights the size of the Shuhamite clan, showing their significant population among the Israelites. This count would determine their share in the land and their role in the community.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 26:43

• שׁוּחָמִי (Shuhami; transliteration: shuchami): This word refers to the descendants of Shuham, a family group within the tribe of Dan. The verse singles out this clan, showing that Dan’s descendants were counted through Shuham.
• פָּקַד (paqad; transliteration: paqad): Translated here as "numbered," this word often means to count, appoint, or take account of. Its use emphasizes the careful, official nature of the census.
• שֵׁשִּׁים (shishim; transliteration: shishim): This word means "threescore" or sixty. Along with the words for four, thousand, and hundred, it forms the total of 64,400, showing the exactness of the count.

Why Numbers 26:43 matters

• Numbers 26:43 clarifies that the tribe of Dan was represented by a single major family group, the Shuhamites, which is unusual compared to other tribes with multiple clans.
• The verse shows the importance of family lineage and precise record-keeping in Israel’s organization and inheritance system.
• This count connects to the broader census in Numbers 26, which sets the stage for dividing the land among the tribes and highlights God’s faithfulness in preserving and multiplying the people despite their wilderness journey.