Numbers 33:54

Verse

And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers.

American Standard Version (1901)

And ye shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer thou shalt give the less inheritance: wheresoever the lot falleth to any man, that shall be his; according to the tribes of your fathers shall ye inherit.

Bible in Basic English

And you will take up your heritage in the land by the decision of the Lord, to every family its part; the greater the family the greater its heritage, and the smaller the family the smaller will be its heritage; wherever the decision of the Lord gives to any man his part, that will be his; distribution will be made to you by your fathers' tribes.

Free Bible Version

You are to divide the land and allocate it by lot to the different tribal families. Give a larger portion to a larger family, and a smaller portion to a smaller family. Each one's allocation is decided by lot, and you will all receive an allocation depending on your tribe.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.

Translation for Translators

“Divide up the land by throwing ◄lots/small stones which have been marked► to decide which group will get which area. Give the larger areas to the groups that have more people, and give the smaller areas to the groups that have fewer people. Each tribe will receive its own land.

Unlocked Literal Bible

You must inherit the land by lot, according to each clan. To the larger clans you must give a larger share of land, and to the smaller clans you must give a smaller share of land. Wherever the lot falls to each clan, that land will belong to it. You will inherit the land according to your ancestors' tribes.

Noah Webster Bible

And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: 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.

World English Bible

You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger groups you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.

Young's Literal Translation

'And ye have inherited the land by lot, by your families; to the many ye increase their inheritance, and to the few ye diminish their inheritance; whither the lot goeth out to him, it is his; by the tribes of your fathers ye inherit.

Context

Instructions for Occupying Canaan

⁵³You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.⁵⁴And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers.

Summary

In this verse, God instructs the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land they are entering and destroy all their carved images and cast idols. This command emphasizes the importance of complete devotion to God and the removal of anything that could lead them astray from true worship. By eradicating the influence of other gods and practices, the Israelites were to maintain their faithfulness to the Lord alone. This verse serves as a reminder for believers to prioritize God above all else and to guard against any form of idolatry or spiritual compromise.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

ye shall divide the land by lot--The particular locality of each tribe was to be determined in this manner while a line was to be used in measuring the proportion (Jos 18:10; Psa 16:5-6).