New Living Translation
Numbers 26:54
54Give the larger tribes more land and the smaller tribes less land, each group receiving a grant in proportion to the size of its population.
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 King James Version (NKJV)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.
Context of Numbers 26:54
52Then the Lord said to Moses, 53“Divide the land among the tribes, and distribute the grants of land in proportion to the tribes’ populations, as indicated by the number of names on the list. 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. 55But you must assign the land by lot, and give land to each ancestral tribe according to the number of names on the list. 56Each grant of land must be assigned by lot among the larger and smaller tribal groups.”
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 26:56Each grant of land must be assigned by lot among the larger and smaller tribal groups.”
- Numbers 33:54You must distribute the land among the clans by sacred lot and in proportion to their size. A larger portion of land will be allotted to each of the larger clans, and a smaller portion will be allotted to each of the smaller clans. The decision of the sacred lot is final. In this way, the portions of land will be divided among your ancestral tribes.
- Numbers 34:13Then Moses told the Israelites, “This territory is the homeland you are to divide among yourselves by sacred lot. The Lord has commanded that the land be divided among the nine and a half remaining tribes.
- Joshua 11:23So Joshua took control of the entire land, just as the Lord had instructed Moses. He gave it to the people of Israel as their special possession, dividing the land among the tribes. So the land finally had rest from war.
- Joshua 14:2These nine and a half tribes received their grants of land by means of sacred lots, in accordance with the Lord’s command through Moses.
- Joshua 17:14The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, “Why have you given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the Lord has blessed us with so many people?”
- Joshua 18:6And when you record the seven divisions of the land and bring them to me, I will cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord our God to assign land to each tribe.
- Joshua 19:1The second allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Simeon. Their homeland was surrounded by Judah’s territory.
- Joshua 19:17The fourth allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Issachar.
- Proverbs 16:33We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.
- Proverbs 18:18Flipping a coin can end arguments; it settles disputes between powerful opponents.
- Acts 1:26Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.
- Colossians 1:12always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.
- Revelation 7:4And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel:
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
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Commentaries