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Numbers 26 · a question people ask

Why are some names different from the list in Genesis 46?

In the text

The text doesn't explain. Some names have a different form: Simeon's first son is Jemuel in Genesis (Genesis 46:10) and Nemuel here (26:12); Issachar's third son is Iob there (Genesis 46:13) and Jashub here (26:24); Dan's son is Hushim there (Genesis 46:23), and Dan's one family here is "of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites" (26:42). Some of Jacob's grandsons in Genesis 46 have no family here, such as Simeon's son Ohad (Genesis 46:10). And Ard and Naaman, sons of Benjamin in Genesis 46:21, are here "The sons of Bela" (26:40). Two later lists use two of the names found here: "The sons of Simeon: Nemuel" (1 Chronicles 4:24), and for Issachar, "Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron" (1 Chronicles 7:1), with Jashub where Genesis has Iob. The Bible doesn't say whether these are two names for the same men, or how the lists relate.

The verses

“The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.”
Genesis 46:10 · World English Bible
“The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Iob, and Shimron.”
Genesis 46:13 · World English Bible
“The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.”
Genesis 46:21 · World English Bible
“The son of Dan: Hushim.”
Genesis 46:23 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Numbers 26

Numbers 26: Not a man left

Forty years on, the total is almost the same, 601,730 against 603,550 (26:51; 1:46), yet not one man counted at Sinai is left except Caleb and Joshua (26:64-65), just as the LORD said at Kadesh (14:29-30). And this count was for the land: every tribe's inheritance by its size and by lot (26:53-56).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions