Numbers 26:56

51. These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand, and a thousand seven hundred and thirty. 51. Isti sunt numerati filiorum Israel, sexcenta millia, et mille septingenti ac triginta. 52. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 52. Loquutus est autem Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo: 53. Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance, according to the number of names. 53. Istis dividerut terra illa in possessionem secundum numerum nominum. 54. To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him. 54. Numerosiori dabis possessionem majorem: et pauciori diminues possessionem suam: unicuique secundum numeratos suos dabitur haereditas sua. 55. Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 55. Veruntamen sorte dividetur terra, per nomina tribuum patrum suorum haereditatem accipient. 56. According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few. 56. Secundum sortes dividetur haereditas ejus inter multum et paucum. 57. And these are they that were numbered 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.

That the division might appear to be according to the determination and will of God, and not left to the judgment and discretion of the chief magistrate, though bound by the above rule: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit; that is, according as to whatsoever name of a tribe such a part or portion of the land comes up by lot, that shall their inheritance be: Jarchi says, the names of the twelve tribes were written on twelve scrolls of parchment, and twelve borders or limits of land on twelve others, and they were mixed together in an urn, and the prince put his hand into it and took two scrolls; a scroll came up with the name of a tribe, and a scroll with a border or limit expressed on it; and the lot, he says, was by the Holy Ghost, for Eleazar, at the same time, was clothed with Urim and Thummim {s}; so that the people were certain that the disposition and division of the land was of God; but there were but nine tribes and a half, among whom the land of Canaan was divided, two tribes and a half settled on the other side Jordan, namely, the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. {s} Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Biccurim, c. 1. sect. 5. Numbers 26:56 Ver. 56. According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided,....

26:52-56 In distributing these tribes, the general rule of equity is prescribed; that to many should be given more, and to fewer less. Though it seems left to the prudence of their prince, the matter at last must be settled by the providence of God, with which all must be satisfied.

According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided,.... It was by the determination of the lot that the land was divided by inheritance, and that was by the Lord, according to Proverbs 16:33 . between many and few; it was so ordered of the Lord by the lot, that the many should have a larger share, and the few a lesser.

55. the land shall be divided by lot—The appeal to the lot did not place the matter beyond the control of God; for it is at His disposal (Pr 16:33), and He has fixed to all the bounds of their habitation. The manner in which the lot was taken has not been recorded. But it is evident that the lot was cast for determining the section of the country in which each tribe should be located—not the quantity of their possessions. In other words, when the lot had decided that a particular tribe was to be settled in the north or the south, the east or the west, the extent of territory was allocated according to the rule (Nu 26:54).

Instructions concerning the Distribution of the Land. - In Numbers 26:53 , Numbers 26:54 , the command is given to distribute the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes ("unto these"), according to the number of the names ( Numbers 1:2-18 ), i.e., to the tribes and families that contained only a few persons, they were to make it small; to every one according to the measure of its mustered persons (ל must be repeated before אישׁ). In Numbers 26:55 , Numbers 26:56 , it is still further commanded that the distribution should take place by lot. "According to the names on their paternal tribes shall they (the children of Israel) receive it (the land) for an inheritance." The meaning of these words can only be, that every tribe was to receive a province of its own for an inheritance, which should be called by its name for ever. The other regulation in Numbers 26:56 , "according to the measure of the lot shall its inheritance (the inheritance of every tribe) be divided between the numerous and the small (tribe)," is no doubt to be understood as signifying, that in the division of the tribe territories, according to the comparative sizes of the different tribes, they were to adhere to that portion of land which fell to every tribe in the casting of the lots.

The magnitude and limits of the possessions of the different tribes could not be determined by the lot according to the magnitude of the tribes themselves: all that could possibly be determined was the situation to be occupied by the tribe; so that R. Bechai is quite correct in observing that "the casting of the lot took place for the more convenient distribution of the different portions, whether of better or inferior condition, that there might be no occasion for strife and covetousness," though the motive assigned is too partial in its character. The lot was to determine the portion of every tribe, not merely to prevent all occasion for dissatisfaction and complaining, but in order that every tribe might receive with gratitude the possession that fell to its lot as the inheritance assigned it by God, the result of the lot being regarded by almost all nations as determined by God Himself (cf. Proverbs 16:33 ; Proverbs 18:18 ). On this ground not only was the lot resorted to by the Greeks and Romans in the distribution of conquered lands (see the proofs in Clericus, Rosenmller, and Knobel), but it is still employed in the division of lands. (For further remarks, see at Joshua 14:1 .).

[Bible] 26:45. The sons of Brie: Heber, of whom is the family of the Heberites: and Melchiel, of whom is the family of the Melchielites. 26:46. And the name of the daughter of Aser, was Sara. 26:47. These are the kindreds of the sons of Aser, and their number fifty-three thousand four hundred. 26:48. The sons of Nephtali by their kindreds: Jesiel, of whom is the family of the Jesielites: Guni, of whom is the family of the Gunites: 26:49. Jeser, of whom is the family of the Jeserites: Sellem, of whom is the family of the Sellemites. 26:50. These are the kindreds of the sons of Nephtali by their families: whose number was forty-five thousand four hundred. 26:51. This is the sum of the children of Israel, that were reckoned up, six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty. 26:52. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 26:53. To these shall the land be divided for their possessions according to the number of names. 26:54. To the greater number thou shalt give a greater portion, and to the fewer a less: to every one, as they have now been reckoned up, shall a possession be delivered: 26:55. Yet so that by lot the land be divided to the tribe and families. 26:56. Whatsoever shall fall by lot, that shall be taken by the more, or the fewer. 26:57. This also is the number of the sons of Levi by their families: Gerson, of whom is the family of the Gersonites: Caath, of whom is the family of the Caathites: Merari, of whom is the family of the Merarites. 26:58. These are the families of Levi: The family of Lobni, the family of Hebroni, the family of Core. Now Caath begot Amram: 26:59. Who had to wife Jochabed the daughter of Levi, who was born to him in Egypt. She bore to her husband Amram sons, Aaron and Moses, and Mary their sister. 26:60. Of Aaron were born Nadab and Abiu, and Eleazar and Ithamar: 26:61. Of whom Nadab and Abiu died, when they had offered the strange fire before the Lord.