(14) Twenty and two thousand and two hundred.—This shows a decrease of 37,100 in the tribe of Simeon. Zimri, the chief offender in the matter of Baal-peor, belonged to this tribe, and, as in the case of the Reubenites, it is probable that he had led astray many of his tribe with him. It is remarkable that this is the only tribe on which, according to the present Hebrew text,[127] no blessing was pronounced by Moses (Deuteronomy 33), and that in the allotment of the land of Canaan the inheritance of Simeon was only the remnant of that which was assigned to Judah (Joshua 19:9).

[127] The “Codex Alexandrinus” inserts a clause: “Let Simeon be many in number.”

Numbers 26:14. Twenty-two thousand and two hundred — No tribe decreased so much as Simeon’s. From fifty-nine thousand and three hundred it sunk to twenty-two thousand and two hundred, little more than a third of what it was. One whole family of that tribe (Ohad, mentioned Exodus 6:15) was extinct in the wilderness. Some think most of the twenty-four thousand, cut off by the plague for the iniquity of Peor, were of that tribe. For Zimri, a ringleader in that iniquity, was a prince of that tribe. Simeon is not mentioned in Moses’s blessing, Deuteronomy 33. And the lot of that tribe in Canaan was inconsiderable, only a canton out of Judah’s lot, Joshua 19:9.

26:1-51 Moses did not number the people but when God commanded him. We have here the families registered, as well as the tribes. The total was nearly the same as when numbered at mount Sinai. Notice is here taken of the children of Korah; they died not, as the children of Dathan and Abiram; they seem not to have joined even their own father in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues.The children of Korah died not - Compare Numbers 26:58. Samuel the prophet was of this family, and Heman, "the king's seer" 1 Chronicles 6:22, 1 Chronicles 6:33; 1 Chronicles 25:5. Several of the Psalms appear from the titles to have been composed for the sons of Korah: compare titles of Psalm 42:1-11; 44; 45, etc. 12. The sons of Simeon—It is supposed that this tribe had been pre-eminent in the guilt of Baal-peor and had consequently been greatly reduced in numbers.

Thus God's justice and holiness, as well as His truth and faithfulness, were strikingly displayed: His justice and holiness in the sweeping judgments that reduced the ranks of some tribes; and His truth and faithfulness in the extraordinary increase of others so that the posterity of Israel continued a numerous people.

Whereas there were 35,400 in Numbers 1:23. It is thought the example of Zimri, one of their princes, Num 25, and some others among them, did infect the generality of the tribe, and so caused this great diminution in their numbers.

The sons of Simeon, after their families,.... This tribe was next numbered, not only because Simeon was next to Reuben by birth, but because his tribe was under the standard of Reuben; two of his sons are a little differently named here than they are in Genesis 46:10, there the eldest is called Jemuel, here Nemuel; there the youngest but one is named Zohar, here Zerah; and one of them is here omitted, namely Ohad, perhaps because he died without children, and so no family sprang from him; wherefore the families of Simeon were but five, and the number of them were 22,200; by which it appears there was a very great decrease in this tribe since the last muster, even 37,100 which in some measure is to be accounted for by the great number of this tribe supposed to have died of the plague, on account of fornication and idolatry, made mention of in the preceding chapter; a prince in this tribe having set a bad example, it is probable he was followed in it by many of it, for which great numbers were cut off. Jarchi, from Tanchuma, says, that all the 24,000 that died of the plague was of the tribe of Simeon; and so says the Samaritan Chronicle (o); but that is not likely.

(o) Apud Hottinger. ut supra. (Smegma Oriental, l. 1. c. 8. p. 448.)

These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.