Numbers 26:55

55 The land shall be divided to the names by lot, they shall inherit according to the tribes of their families.

Numbers 26:55 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 26:55

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 F19; 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Biccurim, c. 1. sect. 5.

Numbers 26:55 In-Context

53 To these the land shall be divided, so that they may inherit according to the number of the names.
54 To the greater number thou shalt give the greater inheritance, and to the less number thou shalt give the less inheritance: to each one, as they have been numbered, shall their inheritance be given.
55 The land shall be divided to the names by lot, they shall inherit according to the tribes of their families.
56 Thou shalt divide their inheritance by lot between the many and the few.
57 And the sons of Levi according to their families; to Gedson, the family of the Gedsonites; to Caath, the family of the Caathites; to Merari, the family of the Merarites.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.