In this lesson, children learn that God knows every family and keeps track of each person, even when the numbers are very big. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God knows every family in His people, and He takes care of each one by name, even when we feel too small to be counted.
Memory Verse
Numbers 26:4
“Take a census, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel.” These are those that came out of the land of Egypt.
(WEB)
Stand up tall with your hands on your head, then slowly raise one finger at a time as you say the verse, counting along with the words so the children learn the count and the words together.
The Story: Numbers 26 for Kids
A long time ago, the people of Israel had wandered in the wilderness for many years. A terrible sickness had come among them, and many people had died. God told Moses and the priest Eleazar to count everyone again. He wanted to know how many men were old enough to go out and fight for the land He had promised them.
Moses and Eleazar went to the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River, and began to count. They counted family by family, starting with the sons of Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob. Each family had its own name, like the Hanochites and the Palluites, and each family was written down carefully. The leaders said, “Take a census of all the congregation, from twenty years old and up, by their fathers’ houses.” Every family mattered.
The counting went on through the tribes of Simeon, Gad, and Judah, and then Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali. Some families were large and some were small. The total numbers were written down so everyone could see them. Not one family was left out of the list.
God also remembered the family of Zelophehad, who had no sons but five daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. Their names were written in the record too. God cared about these daughters just as much as He cared about the sons.
The Levite families were counted separately. These were the families who would care for the tent where God met with His people. Among them were Aaron and Moses, and their sister Miriam. God saw each one, and each one had a place in His plan.
At the end of the chapter, God told Moses that the land would be divided according to the numbers, with a larger share for larger families and a smaller share for smaller ones. God planned everything carefully. He knows exactly who belongs to Him.
Read It Together
Numbers 26:33
Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
(WEB)
Point out that the five daughters of Zelophehad are named one by one. Ask the children to say their names out loud together, and remind them that God wrote down these girls’ names just as carefully as He wrote down the men’s.
Numbers 26:51
These are those who were counted of the children of Israel, six hundred one thousand seven hundred thirty.
(WEB)
Show the children that the total number of people counted is written as a specific number. Explain that God knows exactly how many people He has, and that nobody is lost in the count.
Numbers 26:57-58
57 These are those who were counted of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 58 These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. Kohath became the father of Amram.
(WEB)
Point out the family names of the Levites and talk about how each family had a special job to do for God. Explain that every family, big or small, has a job or a place to serve God in their own way.
Talk About It
- Why do you think God wanted every family counted, even the small ones?
- How did the daughters of Zelophehad show that they cared about their family’s land?
- What is one way you can tell that God knows your name?
- Why is it good to know that God sees every person, not just the big groups?
- What can you do this week to help someone in your family feel remembered?
Activity Ideas
Family Name Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a simple picture of their family, with each family member as a small figure, and write each name under the figure. Talk about how God knows each person in that picture by name. Hang the drawings on a wall so the children can see all the families together.
Counting Steps Game
You will need an open space and a few small objects like coins or blocks. Have the children stand in a line and take turns stepping forward as you call out their family names. Count each step out loud, then let the children count together to see how many they made. Remind the children that every step was counted, just as every family was counted in the story.
Take-Home Name Card
You will need index cards, a marker, and a small ribbon or string. Write each child’s name on a card and help them decorate it with stickers or drawings. Punch a hole in the corner and tie on the string so the child can hang it on a bedroom door or by the mirror. Encourage the family to say a short prayer each night thanking God for knowing each person in the family by name.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God takes a careful, personal interest in His people. The long lists of names and numbers are not dry details. They show that God remembers each family, each tribe, and even the daughters of Zelophehad, whose names were written down with honor. The chapter also shows that God’s plans for the land were fair and orderly, with each group receiving according to its size.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the story’s details about the land division or the lot system, since most children will not need to understand the full meaning of those practices. Focus on the simple truth that God knows every person by name, and keep the attention on that comfort rather than on the complicated numbers.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank You that You know each of us by name. Thank You that nobody is forgotten in Your family and that You see every person, big or small. Help us to remember that we belong to You and to trust You every day. Amen.
