Numbers 26:55

Num 26:55. By lot — The quantity of land, it seems, was to be assigned according to the number in each tribe, but the situation was to be determined by lot, both as to the tribes and as to individuals. For instance, it was determined by lot which of the tribes were to inherit in the south, which in the north, &c. But in that quarter where their lot fell a larger or smaller portion of land was appointed them, according to the goodness of the soil, and in proportion as they were more or less numerous. By these means all ground of quarrel among the several tribes was removed, and each acquiesced in his portion, as assigned by God himself, to whom the appeal was made by lot.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 (Pro 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 (Num 26:54).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 55. The land shall be divided by lot] The word גורל goral, translated lot, is supposed by some to signify the stone or pebble formerly used for the purpose of what we term casting lots. The word [Anglo-Saxon] hlot is Anglo-Saxon, from [Anglo-Saxon] to divide, or portion out, i. e., fortuitously: it answers to the Greek κληρος, which some think comes from κλαω to break; because the lot, being a sort of appeal to God, ("The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord," Pr 16:33,) broke off all contentions and litigations relative to the matter in dispute. From this original division of the promised land by lot to the children of Israel, all portions, appointments, offices, shares, or divisions in spiritual and ecclesiastical matters, were termed lots. So in the New Testament, the word κληρος, lot, is used to signify a portion of spiritual blessedness, and κληρονομια, a division by lot, an inheritance; and κληροι the lotted or appointed persons to different works, shares, c. hence our word clergy, κληροι, persons appointed by lot to a lot, portion, or inheritance; see the case of Matthias, Ac 1:26. Persons thus appointed were by accommodation termed inheritors, because originally, when there could be no claims of exclusive right, all lands where a wandering tribe chose to take up its residence were divided by lot, as the promised land in the case before us. So Judah says to Simeon his brother, Jdg 1:3: "Come up with me into my lot." And as God was ever supposed to be the whole disposer in such matters, whatever fell out in the course of God's providence was called a lot. "This is the lot of them that rob us;" Isa 17:14. "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter;" Ac 8:21. A lot in the promised land was evidently typical of a place in eternal glory. "That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance (κληρον, a lot) among them that are sanctified;" Ac 26:18. "Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance, κληρου, of the lot) of the saints in light;" Col 1:12. "Which is the earnest of our inheritance, (κληρονομιας, of our allotted portion;") Eph 1:4. "What is the riches of the glory of his inheritance," (κληρονομιας, allotted portion;) Eph 1:18. As therefore the promised land was divided by lot to the believing Israelites, God determining the lot as he saw good, none of the people having any claim on or right to it; so the kingdom of heaven is a lot given by the mere good will of God to them that believe and obey him; for as unbelief and disobedience threw 600,000 people out of the inheritance of the promised land; so none who disbelieve God's word, and rebel against his authority, shall ever enter into the kingdom of heaven. - See Ainsworth. These things happened unto them for examples: see then, reader, that thou fall not after the same example of unbelief.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

55. the land shall be divided by lot] Since the distribution was to be proportionate the purpose of the lot must only have been to decide roughly in what part of the country each tribe was to settle.

according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit] The meaning is doubtful. ‘The names of the tribes of their fathers’ appears to be a periphrasis for ‘their tribes.’ If so, the meaning is either that individuals shall in every case possess land within the region assigned to their tribe, or (perhaps better) that no smaller division than a whole tribe is to be taken account of in the general distribution, and the property of clans and families must be settled privately within each tribe.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lot. Josue appointed commissioners, who measured the land, and divided it according to its fertility; and the portions assigned to each of the tribes by lot, corresponded with the predications of Jacob and of Moses; God so regulating the lots by his allwise Providence, in order that the people might be more convinced of the truth of the prophecies, and that no undue favour was shewn to any one by Josue, Eleazar, or by the other men in authority. He took the whole upon himself, that none might complain of their rulers. (Calmet) --- Masius supposes that the different divisions of the land were written down, and placed in an urn, and that the heads of the tribes drew according to their birth, Josue xv. 1. --- The heads of families, such as Henoch, &c., (ver. 5.) probably also drew lots, to know what part of territory allotted to the tribe, should fall to their share; (Haydock) and they parcelled out their land among their children. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

By lot; which lots seem to have been cast only for the tribes, not, as some would have it, for the several families, for the distribution of it to them was left to the ruler’s wisdom, according to the rule now given, Num 26:54. Yet if any lot was too large for the tribe, they might give up part of their right to others, with the ruler’s consent, as Judah gave a share to Simeon and to Dan within his lot.

According to the names of the tribes, i.e. the lots shall go under the names of each tribe or each patriarch.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

55, 56. The land shall be divided by lot — The principle laid down by Jehovah is, that the location of each tribe must be determined by lot. Since there was a difference in the quality of the land, some being richer and some poorer, to avoid all occasion for complaint in this matter the lot was resorted to as the fairest method of procedure. For the manner of the lot, see Jos_13:6, note. The result of the lot was regarded, not only by the Hebrews, (Pro_16:33; Pro_18:18,) but also by nearly all other nations, as an indication of the divine will. The Greeks and Romans resorted to the lot in the division of conquered lands. Lands are still occasionally divided in this manner.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot. This can only be reconciled with the preceding order by assuming that the lot was to determine the situation of the territory, the actual boundaries being left to the discretion of the rulers. Recourse was had as far as possible to the lot in order to refer the matter directly to God, of whose will and gift they held the land. (cf. Pro_16:33 Act_1:26) The lot would also remove any suspicion that the more numerous tribes, such as Judah or Dan, were unfairly favoured (verse 56).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By lot - For the tribes, not for the several families; for the distribution of it to them was left to the rulers wisdom according to the rule now given.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

לשמות מטה אבתם ACCORDING TO THE NAMES OF THE TRIBES OF THEIR FATHERS [THEY SHALL INHERIT] — These (the fathers referred to) were they who came out of Egypt. — Scripture treated this inheritance differently to all other inheritances mentioned in the Torah, for in the case of all other inheritances the living become heirs to the dead, whilst here the dead become heirs to the living. How is this so? Two brothers who were of those who came out of Egypt who had sons at least twenty years old amongst those who came into the Land, one son to this and three to that, the one son took one portion, and the three took three portions, for it is said, (v. 53) “To these (enumerated in the census taken immediately before they entered Palestine) shall the land be divided”. Their inheritance (that of these four) returns to (is regarded as having belonged to) their fathers’ father, and they (the two brothers who have four sons between them), divide equally. This is what is stated, “according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit” — that after the sons have received they divide it according to the fathers who came out of Egypt. If, however, they had straightway divided it according to the number of those who came out of Egypt these four would have taken only two portions, whilst now they take four portions (Bava Batra 117a; Sifrei Bamidbar 132:1).

אך בגורל — Joshua and Caleb are excepted from this method of division (since אך is a limiting term) and so indeed it states, (Judges 1:20) “And they gave Hebron to Caleb as Moses had said” (cf. Rashi on Numbers XlV. 24), and it further states, (Joshua 19:50) “According to the command of the Lord they gave him (Joshua) the city which he had asked” (Sifrei Bamidbar 132:3).

מטות אבתם THE TRIBES OF THEIR FATHERS — Consequently proselytes and slaves were excepted (Sifrei Bamidbar 132:4).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

HOWEVER, THE LAND SHALL BE DIVIDED BY LOT amongst the tribes of Israel, and ACCORDING TO THE NAMES OF THE TRIBES OF THEIR FATHERS who constituted twelve tribes THEY SHALL INHERIT them [i.e., the twelve equal portions of the Land]. And then He repeated: 56. ACCORDING TO THE LOT SHALL THE INHERITANCE of the tribe BE DIVIDED BETWEEN THE MORE AND THE FEWER, meaning that they should also cast lots amongst the [individual] families, so that [for instance] the portion of the Hanochites should be in the direction and place which the lot chooses for him, and the portion of the Palluites should be in the place which the lot chooses for him, but we are to allot more [of the land] to the larger [families], and give less to the smaller families. This is the meaning of that which it says in the section. of Eileh Mas’ei: And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families — to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance; wheresoever the lot falleth to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit. Thus He explained that the inheritance should be allotted to families by the lot, and in whichever direction the lot chooses for him [any individual family], there we shall give a larger [portion] to the larger of the families and a smaller [portion] to the smaller [families]. He [furthermore] said that it [the division of the Land] should be according to the tribes of your fathers, meaning to say twelve tribes. Now that which Rashi said — “According to the names of ‘matoth’ of their fathers, this means those who came out of Egypt” — is not correct, for the term matoth always means “the tribes” of Israel, just as it is written, So shall no inheritance remove ‘mimateh’ (from one tribe) ‘l’mateih acheir’ (to another tribe); for ‘matoth’ (the tribes of) the children of Israel shall cleave each one to its own inheritance. Similarly [it is written], a thousand ‘l’mateh’ (of every tribe) throughout all ‘matoth’ (tribes of) Israel, 31:4. and so also in the case of the spies, (of every tribe) of their fathers. and likewise in all other places — for the terms sheivet and mateh are identical. And when the Rabbis said in the Gemara: “Rabbi Yashiyah says: The Land was divided amongst those that came out of Egypt, for it is said, according to the names of ‘matoth’ of their fathers they shall inherit” — this interpretation [is not based, as Rashi understood, on the meaning of the word matoth itself, but] is deduced because of the [seeming] redundancy of the verse, for it would have been enough for Scripture to say: However, the Land shall be divided by lot according to the names of the tribes [and to omit the concluding phrase … of their fathers they shall inherit]. But since He did mention … of their fathers they shall inherit, the Rabbis interpreted that it is ‘the fathers’ — namely those who are mentioned [as having left] Egypt, [as it says]: These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. It is they who are to inherit the Land, and it is through them that the Land is to come to those who [actually] divided it.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.