Numbers 26 55

Numbers 26:55 kjv

Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

Numbers 26:55 nkjv

But the land shall be divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.

Numbers 26:55 niv

Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe.

Numbers 26:55 esv

But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

Numbers 26:55 nlt

But you must assign the land by lot, and give land to each ancestral tribe according to the number of names on the list.

Numbers 26 verses

Numbers 26 55 Meaning

Numbers 26:55 declares the divine method for apportioning the land of Canaan to the Israelite tribes: it would be divided by lot, specifically according to the names of their ancestral tribes. This underscores God's sovereignty over the distribution, ensuring impartiality and linking the new generation to the Abrahamic covenant promise through their established tribal identities. It was a precise, God-ordained allocation for their inheritance.

Numbers 26 55 Context

Numbers chapter 26 records the second census of the Israelites, taken in the plains of Moab just before they were to enter the Promised Land. This census serves multiple purposes: it determined the strength of the new generation fit for war, contrasted starkly with the previous generation who had perished in the wilderness due to disobedience (except for Joshua and Caleb), and crucially, it provided the basis for the distribution of the land. This verse, Num 26:55, is part of a series of divine instructions (verses 52-56) regarding how the Promised Land would be divided among the twelve tribes, tying the number of male heads in each tribe to its allocated territory, but emphasizing that the ultimate division method would be by lot. This instruction linked the immediate future to the foundational Abrahamic covenant promises regarding land and progeny, ensuring a divinely orchestrated, impartial, and covenantally aligned distribution rather than one based on human power struggles.

Numbers 26 55 Word analysis

• Nevertheless (אַךְ, akh): This Hebrew particle serves as an emphatic qualifier or an adversative, often meaning "surely," "only," or "however." Here, it contrasts with the preceding instructions (the land's size apportioned according to tribal population size) by emphasizing the method of ultimate division: it is only by lot, confirming divine override or precise determination beyond human calculation.
• the land (הָאָרֶץ, ha'aretz): Refers specifically to the Promised Land of Canaan. It underscores the focal point of God's covenant with Abraham—a physical territory for His people.
• shall be divided (יֵחָלֵק, yechaleq): Derived from the verb חָלַק (chalaq), meaning "to divide" or "apportion." The passive voice highlights that the division is not self-executed or purely human, but rather orchestrated or received, ultimately indicating divine agency in the distribution.
• by lot (בְּגוֹרָל, be'goral): Goral signifies a "lot" or "portion." In biblical context, casting lots was a recognized method for determining God's will, ensuring impartiality, preventing disputes, and asserting divine sovereignty in matters where human judgment might be biased. It meant that the specific parcel for each tribe was divinely ordained, removing potential conflict.
• according to (עַל־פִּי, al-pi): Literally "on the mouth of" or "by the mouth of." This idiom denotes strict adherence to an instruction, pattern, or command, emphasizing the precise manner of following God's design.
• the names (שְׁמוֹת, sh'mot): Signifies the identities, reputation, and essence of the tribal patriarchs and their lineage. This highlights the importance of individual and corporate tribal identity, linking the land grant to the patriarchal founders of the nation.
• of the tribes (מַטּוֹת, maṭṭoṯ): Plural of maṭṭeh, meaning "rod," "staff," or "tribe." This term refers to the established family groupings descending from the sons of Jacob, underscoring the enduring social and genealogical structure of Israel.
• of their fathers (אֲבֹתָם, avotam): Explicitly connects the contemporary generation receiving the land back to their foundational ancestors (e.g., the sons of Jacob) and, ultimately, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, reaffirming the unbroken continuity of the covenant promises across generations.
• they shall inherit (יִנְחָלוּ, yinḥalu): From the verb נָחַל (nachal), meaning "to inherit," "possess," or "take possession of." It emphasizes that the land is not merely seized by conquest but received as an inherent, divinely granted right or gift from God, who is the ultimate source of their national identity and possession.

• The land shall be divided by lot: This phrase establishes the unique and theologically significant method for land distribution. It underlines that while human efforts (like the census or future military conquest) were involved, the ultimate allocation of each specific territory was under divine oversight and not subject to human manipulation or favoritism. This eliminated internal strife among the tribes over desirable land.
• According to the names of the tribes of their fathers: This specific grouping reinforces the covenantal aspect. The land was not being distributed to an amorphous population but to clearly defined, genealogically rooted tribes whose identities stretched back to the patriarchs. This ensured the fulfillment of ancient promises and maintained tribal distinctiveness and historical continuity within the nation.
• They shall inherit: This final phrase cements the concept of the land as a divinely bestowed inheritance. It signifies rightful and lasting possession given by God, transcending mere military conquest. The land was their permanent legacy, tying them perpetually to God's faithfulness and covenant promises.

Numbers 26 55 Bonus section

The casting of lots, specifically the goral, was not merely a random drawing but an accepted biblical means by which God revealed His will. This process ensured that the Israelites understood their specific inheritance to be a direct divine assignment, fostering contentment with their allotted portion and reducing inter-tribal land disputes. This divine apportionment underscored the theological truth that the land truly belonged to God (Lev 25:23) and He was granting it as an inheritance to His people. The act of receiving the land by lot served as a constant reminder that Israel's very existence and security were dependent on their covenant relationship with Yahweh. This process also served as a polemic against the ways of surrounding nations, where land acquisition was often driven by power, conquest, and human negotiation.

Numbers 26 55 Commentary

Numbers 26:55 encapsulates a critical moment in Israelite history: the detailed divine plan for settling the Promised Land after forty years of wilderness wandering. Following the census which determined the size of each tribe (a practical element for equitable division), this verse adds the indispensable theological dimension. The distribution "by lot" reveals God's meticulous sovereignty. It wasn't left to human discretion, potential disputes, or claims based on military strength, but determined by divine selection through the casting of lots. This act simultaneously removed partiality, settled potential conflicts, and unequivocally demonstrated that the land was a gift from Yahweh. Furthermore, specifying "according to the names of the tribes of their fathers" underscored the unbreakable covenantal thread. This inheritance was not a new, arbitrary assignment, but a direct fulfillment of the ancient promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, channeled through the established tribal structures of their descendants. Thus, the verse articulates both the divine agency in allocation and the enduring legacy of God's faithfulness to His people's ancestral identity and covenantal promise.