“It was, after the plague; and the Lord said to Moses and to Elazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying” (Numbers 26:1). “Take a census of the entire congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and above, by their patrilineal house, all those fit for military service in Israel” (Numbers 26:2). “It was, after the plague.… Take a census” – every place that they fell, they required a census.
This is analogous to a wolf that enters in the midst of the flock. The owner of the flock must descend to count how many of them are missing. Another matter: Why did he count them? This is analogous to a shepherd to whom the owner entrusted his flock by number.
The shepherd concluded his watch. When he returns them he must count them. When Israel departed from Egypt, He entrusted them to Moses by number, as it is written: “The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai.… Take a census of the entire congregation of the children of Israel…” (Numbers 1:1–2). “The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Sukkot, some six hundred thousand [men] on foot” (Exodus 12:37) – he received them in Egypt by number. [When] he was coming to take his leave of the world in the plains of Moav, he returned them by number.