Numbers 26:31

And of Asriel the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem the familie of the Shechemites. Numbers 26:31 (KJV)

The book of Numbers, the fourth book of the Bible, records the Israelites’ journey from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land. It contains a detailed census, laws, regulations, and various historical accounts that shape the nation of Israel. In the second census recorded in Numbers 26, Moses and Eleazar the priest conduct the enumeration in the plains of Moab, just before the people cross the Jordan to possess the land that God had promised.

Numbers 26:31 specifically names two families within the tribe of Manasseh: the Asrielites and the Shechemites. The Asrielites were descended from Asriel, a grandson of Manasseh through his son Machir and grandson Gilead. Manasseh himself was one of the twelve sons of Joseph, who had been sold into slavery in Egypt, risen to power, and whose descendants formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Shechemites were likewise a branch of Manasseh, descended from Shechem, another grandson of Manasseh through Machir and Gilead. Their name reflects the city of Shechem, a place of considerable historical importance for Israel. It was at Shechem that Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi avenged the violation of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34), underscoring the city’s role in the nation’s early narrative.

The mention of these families underscores the critical importance of maintaining accurate records of lineage. The census determined the number of men eligible for military service and facilitated the equitable division of the Promised Land among the tribes. Moreover, the careful preservation of genealogies served as a tangible reminder of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling the covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to make their descendants as numerous as the stars.