Numbers 26:55

_NOTWITHSTANDING THE LAND SHALL BE DIVIDED BY LOT: ACCORDING TO THE NAMES OF THE TRIBES OF THEIR FATHERS THEY SHALL INHERIT._ The land shall be divided by lot. The appeal to the lot did not place the matter beyond the control of God; because it is at His disposal (Proverbs 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 quarter of the country on 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 (Numbers 26:54). 'By this regulation provi

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....

Verse Numbers 26:55. _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," Proverbs 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,...

EXPOSITION THE SECOND MUSTERING (Numbers 26:1). NUMBERS 26:1 IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THE PLAGUE. This plague was the last event which seriously diminished the numbers of the Israelites; perhaps it was the last event which diminished them at all, for it seems to be throughout implied that none died except through their own fault. It is often supposed that this plague carried off the last survivors of the generation condemned at Kadesh (see Numbers 26:64); but this is opposed to the statement in Deuteronomy 2:14,...

NOTWITHSTANDING, THE LAND SHALL BE DIVIDED BY LOT,.... 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...

3. THE SECOND NUMBERING CHAPTER 26 _ 1. The command to number (Numbers 26:1)_ 2. The census taken (Numbers 26:5) 3. The total number (Numbers 26:51) 4. The inheritance (Numbers 26:52) 5. The Levites (Numbers 26:57) 6. The new generation (Numbers 26:63) The reader will find the comparison of these two numberings in the annotations of the first chapter. The increase and decrease of the different tribe

NUMBERS 26. PARTICULARS OF A SECOND CENSUS TAKEN 38 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST. Numbers 26:1. The Numbers of the Twelve Secular Tribes. The census was again confined to men over twenty. The total is Numbers 18:20 less than on the earlier occasion; there are increases in seven tribes, and decreases in five. Some of the names which purport to be those of persons are identical with the names of localities, _e.g._ Gilead, Jezer (_i.e._ Abiezer, Judges 8:2), Tirzah (1 Kings 15:21). Many of the appellations appear in a variant form in Genesis 46:8

BY. "upon": i.e. "contingently upon" (see Numbers 26:56). By Eleazar (Numbers 34:17), because, as high priest, he had the Urim and Thummim, which were the lots cast. The high priest must be present for the lot to speak, and give Jehovah's decision (Joshua 17:4). Compare Ezra 2:61.Nehemiah 7:63. The lot "came up" (Joshua 18:11); "came forth" (Joshua 19:1); "came out" ...

The manner in which Canaan is to be divided among the tribes. The territories are to be proportionate to the size of the several tribes....

NOTWITHSTANDING, THE LAND SHALL BE DIVIDED BY LOT— As the land was to be divided among the tribes in proportion to their numbers, the question is, what occasion there was for dividing it likewise by lot? To which it is replied, that the lot seems to respect only the _quarter,_ the particular _coast_ or _province,_ in which every tribe was to be situated; but not the extent of land. For instance, it was first determined by lot, which of the twelve tribes was to inherit in the South, which in the North, and so on; then in that quarter where their lot fell, a larger or smaller portion of land was assigned to them, according to the goodness of the soil, and in proportion as they were more or less numerous. By this method all ground of quarrel among the several tribes was removed; and each acquiesced in his settlement, as allotted to him by God himself, to whom the appeal was made by lot. The...