The plague having swept away the last of that devoted
   generation, which provoked the Lord to "swear in his wrath
   that they should not enter" Canaan; he now, after an interval
   of 38; years, commands another census of the Israelites to be
   made, to preserve the distinction of families, and to regulate
   the tribes previous to their entry into the promised land, as
   well as to ascertain the proportion of land which should be
   allotted to each tribe.  For, though the whole was divided by
   lot, yet the portions were so disposed, that a numerous tribe
   did not draw where the lots assigned small inheritances, or
   the contrary.

  1:2,3  Ex 30:12  38:25,26