God’s faithfulness shines in preserving the families of Benjamin, as evidenced by the lines of Ard and Naaman.
Of the sons of Bela: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. (v.45) This verse records a brief genealogical note concerning the tribe of Benjamin during Israel’s second census. In the larger context, Moses was instructed to count all Israelite males of age for war before entering the Promised Land. Here, the focus is on Bela’s descendants, Ard and Naaman, who each became prominent family heads. Bela was one of Benjamin’s sons (Genesis 46:21), placing these families firmly within the lineage of Jacob’s youngest son.
Benjamin, whose birth took place around 1900-1800 BC, was the twelfth son of Jacob (later renamed Israel) and Rachel. By the time of this census in Numbers 26, likely around 1407 BC, Benjamin’s descendants had multiplied into distinct family units. The Ardites (“those from Ard”) and the Naamites (“those from Naaman”) each contributed to the tribe’s numbers and strength, ensuring that the tribe of Benjamin would maintain its place among Israel’s twelve tribes. Later in Israel’s history, Benjamin would be located in the territory just north of Judah, near Jerusalem—a region that became central to Israel’s national life.
This verse also highlights how every clan in Israel was important to God’s plan, each bearing a unique name and heritage. It underscores the continuity of God’s promise to Abraham, that his descendants would become a great nation (Genesis 12:2). Viewed through the lens of redemptive history, even the smallest genealogical detail fits into the grand scope of salvation, culminating in Christ, who came from the broader Israelite lineage described throughout Scripture.
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Numbers 26:45 meaning
Of the sons of Bela: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites. (v.45) This verse records a brief genealogical note concerning the tribe of Benjamin during Israel’s second census. In the larger context, Moses was instructed to count all Israelite males of age for war before entering the Promised Land. Here, the focus is on Bela’s descendants, Ard and Naaman, who each became prominent family heads. Bela was one of Benjamin’s sons (Genesis 46:21), placing these families firmly within the lineage of Jacob’s youngest son.
Benjamin, whose birth took place around 1900-1800 BC, was the twelfth son of Jacob (later renamed Israel) and Rachel. By the time of this census in Numbers 26, likely around 1407 BC, Benjamin’s descendants had multiplied into distinct family units. The Ardites (“those from Ard”) and the Naamites (“those from Naaman”) each contributed to the tribe’s numbers and strength, ensuring that the tribe of Benjamin would maintain its place among Israel’s twelve tribes. Later in Israel’s history, Benjamin would be located in the territory just north of Judah, near Jerusalem—a region that became central to Israel’s national life.
This verse also highlights how every clan in Israel was important to God’s plan, each bearing a unique name and heritage. It underscores the continuity of God’s promise to Abraham, that his descendants would become a great nation (Genesis 12:2). Viewed through the lens of redemptive history, even the smallest genealogical detail fits into the grand scope of salvation, culminating in Christ, who came from the broader Israelite lineage described throughout Scripture.