New King James Version
Numbers 26:54
54To a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them.
Numbers 26:54 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one; each is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those listed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Give the larger tribes more land and the smaller tribes less land, each group receiving a grant in proportion to the size of its population.
Context of Numbers 26:54
52Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 53“To these the land shall be divided as an inheritance, according to the number of names. To a large tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a smaller inheritance. Each shall be given its inheritance according to those who were numbered of them. 55But the land shall be divided by lot; they shall inherit according to the names of the tribes of their fathers. 56According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller.”
Read all of Numbers 26Numbers 26:54 word by word
לָרַ֗ב תַּרְבֶּה֙ נַחֲלָת֔וֹ וְלַמְעַ֕ט תַּמְעִ֖יט נַחֲלָת֑וֹ אִ֚ישׁ לְפִ֣י פְקֻדָ֔יו יֻתַּ֖ן נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- To manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- thou shalt give the moreרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
- and to fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- thou shalt give the lessמָעַטmâ‛aţ · to diminishH4591
- to every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- be givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- accordingפֶּהpeh · lip: accordingH6310
- to those that were numberedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
Cross-references for Numbers 26:54
- Numbers 26:56According to the lot their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller.”
- Numbers 33:54And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone’s inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.
- Numbers 34:13Then Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying: “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe.
- Joshua 11:23So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land rested from war.
- Joshua 14:2Their inheritance was by lot, as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes and the half-tribe.
- Joshua 17:14Then the children of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given us only one lot and one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the Lord has blessed us until now?”
- Joshua 18:6You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.
- Joshua 19:1The second lot came out for Simeon, 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 19:17The fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families.
- Proverbs 16:33The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.
- Proverbs 18:18Casting lots causes contentions to cease, And keeps the mighty apart.
- Acts 1:26And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
- Colossians 1:12giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
- Revelation 7:4And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
Commentaries on Numbers 26:54
- 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. 5454. To many thou shalt give the more inheritance--that is, to the more numerous tribes a larger allotment shall be granted. according to those that were numbered--the number of persons twenty years old at the time of the census being made, without taking into account either the increase of those who might have attained that age, when the land should be actually distributed, or the diminution from that amount, occasioned during the war of invasion.Read the comment
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries