במדבר, פרק כ״ו, פסוק ס״ה

The final census in the plains of Moab marks the tragic end of the generation that left Egypt. It fulfills the Divine decree following the sin of the spies, cementing the reality that they would end their lives in the wilderness [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A subtle spelling variation in the original text indicates that the generation did not die all at once. Instead, their passing occurred through multiple waves of mortality over time, such as the deaths of those who complained and those involved in the rebellion of Korah [קיצור בעל הטורים].

Despite the absolute language stating that no man remained, commentators explore the exact scope of this decree, noting that some individuals did survive. The primary approach among commentators is that the punishment applied strictly to men of military age included in the first census. Older men who were already above the age of sixty at the time, such as Yair and Machir from the tribe of Manasseh, were exempt from the decree and successfully entered the land [העמק דבר, ברכת אשר על התורה]. Furthermore, the specific mention of men reveals that the women of that generation were entirely spared. While the men rejected the Land of Israel and asked to return to Egypt, the women cherished the land and deeply desired it. This profound love for the land explains why the story of the daughters of Zelophehad, who stepped forward to request a portion of land, follows immediately after this census [רבנו בחיי, תולדות יצחק].

The righteousness of these women, particularly the daughters of Zelophehad, is also seen as the reason behind the massive population growth within the tribe of Manasseh between the two censuses. This stands in sharp contrast to tribes like Simeon and Reuben, whose populations dropped sharply due to their participation in sins like the incident at Peor and the rebellion of Korah [ברכת אשר על התורה].

Ultimately, only two military-aged men survived the wilderness: Caleb and Joshua. Commentators observe that Caleb is mentioned first. While Moses consistently placed Joshua first due to his superior wisdom, God chose to grant this specific honor to Caleb. This serves as a direct reward, recognizing that Caleb was the first to silence the panicked nation and defend the honor of God during the incident with the spies [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה, אבן עזרא].