Numbers 26 · Verse 55

Numbers 26:55

Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
Numbers 26:55, King James Version

Numbers 26:55 in other translations

BSBIndeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
WEBNotwithstanding, the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
ASVNotwithstanding, the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
YLT‘Only by lot is the land apportioned, by the names of the tribes of their fathers they inherit;
DARBYNotwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot; according to the names of the tribes of their fathers shall they inherit;
BBEBut let the distribution of the land be made by the decision of the Lord: by the names of the tribes of their fathers let their heritage be given them.
WebsterNotwithstanding, the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

What does Numbers 26:55 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
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).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
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 hlot is Anglo-Saxon, from 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," Pro 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, etc.; hence our word clergy, κληροι, persons appointed by lot to a lot, portion, or inheritance; see the case of Matthias, Act 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;" Act 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;" Act 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, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 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.

Read the full comment on Numbers 26:52-56 →

Numbers 26:55 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אַךְ\־'akh-onlyH389
בְּגוֹרָ֕לbe.go.Ralby lotH1486
יֵחָלֵ֖קye.cha.Lekit will be dividedH2505
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776
לִשְׁמ֥וֹתlish.Motto [the] names ofH8034
מַטּוֹת\־ma.tot-[the] tribes ofH4294
אֲבֹתָ֖ם'a.vo.Tamancestors theirH1
יִנְחָֽלוּ\׃yin.Cha.luthey will inheritH5157

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 26:55

  • Numbers 33:54

    And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man’s inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.

  • Numbers 34:13

    And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe:

  • Joshua 14:2

    By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

  • Joshua 11:23

    So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

  • Proverbs 18:18

    The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

  • Joshua 19:10

    And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid:

  • Revelation 7:4-8

    And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. …

  • Joshua 19:32

    The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.

  • Colossians 1:12

    Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

  • Numbers 26:56

    According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

  • Joshua 19:1

    And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

  • Joshua 18:6

    Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
by lot.
56; 33:54; 34:13; Jos 11:23; 14:2; 17:14; 18:6,10,11; 19:1,10
Jos 19:17,24,32,40; Pr 16:33; 18:18; Ac 1:26; Col 1:12; Re 7:4-8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 26:54

    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.

  • Numbers 26:55

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

  • Numbers 26:56

    According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

Read all of Numbers 26

Numbers 26:55 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Empero la tierra será repartida por suerte; y por los nombres de las tribus de sus padres heredarán.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Seulement, le pays sera partagé par le sort; ils l’hériteront selon les noms des tribus de leurs pères.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Doch soll das Land durchs Los verteilt werden; nach den Namen der Stämme ihrer Väter sollen sie erben;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ita dumtaxat ut sors terram tribubus dividat et familiis.