When Israel decided not to enter the Canaan land because they feared they “looked like grasshoppers” in the sight of the giants, they unknowingly entered themselves into a curse. Because of their disobedience, every single person over the age of twenty years old would die in the wilderness before they would get the chance to try again.
(As an aside, I’ve always wondered how the guy felt who was nineteen years and 364 days old at the time of Numbers 13. Talk about skating through by the hair on your chinny chin chin.)
The only two people exempt from that judgment were the two spies who brought back a favorable report: Joshua and Caleb. Even Moses fell in the wilderness, although that was more due to his failure at Meribah in hitting the rock instead of speaking to it (Numbers 20).
Surprisingly, there is one group that people have questions about, though—the Levites. Did they all die in the wilderness, too?
Common sense would say “yes, of course they did.” After all, when God says every single person—reiterated by Numbers 26:65, which says “not a man was left”—that means every single person.
Critics (naturally) have objections. It’s what they do.
“What about Eleazar?” They ask. “Wasn’t he over twenty when they left Egypt?”
According to Exodus 6:25, Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, which bore him Phinehas, the man who famously speared two people engaged in sexual immorality at the urging of Balaam. Assuming Phinehas is a man of some age at this point, it’s reasonable to assume that Eleazar had him either very early on in the wilderness or even before they left Egypt.
Moreover, if Numbers 4:3 decrees that priests will begin their service at age 30, and Exodus 28:1 says that Eleazar was brought close to God to serve as priest at Sinai, doesn’t that mean he was at least thirty years old (i.e. over twenty when they left Egypt)?
But that’s a big assumption. We have no idea how old Eleazar was when they left Egypt; we only know that Nadab and Abihu were older. It’s just as likely that he was nineteen at the time of the Exodus and that God made a special exception for the direct sons of Aaron due to circumstances.
If you are someone who is loophole-inclined, there is a simple “fix” to this that may satisfy you. According to the wording of Numbers 26:63-64, the ones who fell in the wilderness came from “those who were numbered.” The priests were not included in either census (Numbers 1 or Numbers 26).
Additionally, remember that the punishment fell on the ten spies who were unfaithful (not Joshua and Caleb). The tribe of Levi was not included in the list of tribes who sent a representative in Numbers 13.
Does that mean that the priests over twenty years old survived the wilderness? I’m not sure. To me, it’s much safer to take the traditional reading of the Text and say that every single person over the age of twenty (including priests) died in the wilderness. I will admit though that this passage brings up some curious points.
What do you think? Email me at [email protected] and let me know!