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Question

Dear Father,

I cannot find out how many Israelites went into the land of Canaan with Joshua.

Could you tell me?

Thank you

The priest’s answer

Dear friend, 

  1. A little before Moses was succeeded by Joshua, a census was taken throughout the community of the Israelites of all those of twenty years or more. This is reported in the Book of Numbers, chapter 26. “Those of twenty years or more” means up to those of sixty years, because the Lord had said that not one of those who had grumbled against Him should enter the Promised Land (cf. Num 14: 28-30). Therefore the population included people up to sixty years of age. 
  2. Now, the Israelites who were registered by clan, excluding the clan of Levi, were six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty (cf. Num, 26:51). The clan of Levi was excluded because the land was divided among the various clans as their heritage in keeping with the number of individuals in each clan. The Levites were registered separately for no land was given as heritage to the clan of Levi. The Levites lived out of the revenues of worship. 
  3. In Num 26:62 the total number of male Levites one month or more of age who were registered is reported as well: they were twenty-three thousand. Assuming there were approximately as many women, the number rises to around forty six thousands. Therefore, adding up the 601730 to the 46000, we can estimate there were about 750000 people of twenty years or more. 
  4. Keeping in mind that the Israelites of age under twenty years were not registered (except for the male Levites), one can estimate that at least a third of the total amount (namely 250000) is to be added up as well, because the population of age under twenty years was not mowed down so dramatically by death as the elder one. 

Therefore the number of people who crossed the river Jordan with Moses and entered the Promised Land was approximately one million. 

This is the calculation I performed.  But the same estimate is likely to be reported somewhere else as well. 

I remember you to the Lord and I bless you.

Father Angelo

Translated by Alessandra N