God’s Word Translation
Numbers 26:55
55But the land must be divided by drawing lots. The tribes will receive their land based on the names of their ancestors.
Numbers 26:55 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
- New International Version (NIV)Be sure that the land is distributed by lot. What each group inherits will be according to the names for its ancestral tribe.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the land shall be divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
Context of Numbers 26:55
53“The land these people will possess must be divided using the list of names ⌞from the census⌟. 54Give more land to larger tribes and less land to smaller ones. Use the totals ⌞from the census⌟ in giving land to each tribe. But the land must be divided by drawing lots. The tribes will receive their land based on the names of their ancestors. 56Whether the tribes are large or small, the land must be divided by drawing lots.” 57The families descended from Levi were listed as the family of Gershon, the family of Kohath, and the family of Merari.
Read all of Numbers 26Numbers 26:55 word by word
אַךְ־בְּגוֹרָ֕ל יֵחָלֵ֖ק אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ לִשְׁמ֥וֹת מַטּוֹת־אֲבֹתָ֖ם יִנְחָֽלוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Notwithstanding the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- shall be dividedחָלַקchâlaq · to divideH2505
- by lotגּוֹרָלgôrâl gôrâl · allottedH1486
- according to the namesשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- of the tribesמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribeH4294
- of their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- they shall inheritנָחַלnâchal · to inheritH5157
Cross-references for Numbers 26:55
- Numbers 26:21The descendants of Perez were the family of Hezron and the family of Hamul.
- Romans 11:7So what does all this mean? It means that Israel has never achieved what it has been striving for. However, those whom God has chosen have achieved it. The minds of the rest of Israel were closed,
- 1 Corinthians 12:4There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.
Commentaries on Numbers 26:55
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 55The 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 , which some think comes from 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,"…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 52-56Verses 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 comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 52-56The second registration, like the first, was for military purposes. It also helped distribute land to Israel's tribes based on their populations (see Joshua 15–19). the land must be divided by lot: People used lots to seek guidance from God and prevent favoritism in important matters (for example, Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel 10:20; 14:41–42; Proverbs 18:18; Acts 1:26).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5555. 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…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 26:55
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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