Numbers 26:43
All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.
Original Language Analysis
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
1 of 9
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת
All the families
H4940
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת
All the families
Strong's:
H4940
Word #:
2 of 9
a family, i.e., circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people
לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם
according to those that were numbered
H6485
לִפְקֻֽדֵיהֶ֑ם
according to those that were numbered
Strong's:
H6485
Word #:
4 of 9
to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc
Historical Context
Dan's 64,400 represented an increase from 62,700 in the first census (Numbers 1:39)—a 2.7% growth. By comparison, some tribes declined drastically (Simeon lost 62.6%). Dan's modest but consistent growth over 38 wilderness years demonstrated steady faithfulness despite judgment on the nation.
Questions for Reflection
- Why would God allow one single-clan tribe to become larger than multi-clan tribes? What does this reveal about His sovereignty?
- How does God's exact knowledge of each Danite encourage you that He knows and values each believer individually?
- What spiritual principle governs why some ministries or churches grow while others decline, even in the same environment?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Threescore and four thousand and four hundred (64,400)—the second-largest tribe in Israel, exceeded only by Judah's 76,500. Dan's remarkable size came from a single family, while most tribes had multiple clans. This disproportionate growth pattern reveals God's sovereign distribution of increase; He doesn't multiply uniformly but according to His purposes.
The Hebrew construction emphasizes exactness: שִׁשִּׁים אַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף (sixty-four thousand). These weren't estimates—God knows His own precisely. Every Danite warrior counted, every family registered, every inheritance calculated. Divine order requires specific knowledge, not approximation.