Numbers 34:16-29

C. ALLOTMENTS ASSIGNED TO TRIBAL LEADERS vv. 16-29
TEXT

Numbers 34:16. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 17. These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun. 18. And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance. 19. And the names of the men are these: of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20, And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 21. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23. The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25. And the princes of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28. And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. 29. These are they whom the Lord commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 34:16. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17. These are the names of the men who shall assign the land to you by lot as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun. 18. And you shall take one leader from each tribe to assign the land for inheritance. 19. And these are the names of the men: of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20. And from the tribe of the children of Simeon, Samuel the son of Ammihud. 21. From the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. 22. And from the tribe of the children of Dan a leader, Bukki the son of Jogli. 23. From the children of Joseph: of the tribe of the children of Manasseh a leader, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24. And from the tribe of the children of Ephraim a leader, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25. And from the tribe of the children of Zebulun a leader, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26. And from the tribe of the children of Issachar a leader, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27. And from the tribe of the children of Asher a leader, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28. And from the tribe of the children of Naphtali a leader, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. 29. These are the ones whom the Lord commanded to assign the inheritance to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

COMMENTARY

Overseeing the process of casting lots for the inheritances are the two men most responsible for the two essential of primary responsibility among the peoplereligious and civil. Whereas we have been accustomed to hearing of Aaron and Moses in these capacities, the mantles have fallen upon their successors, Eleazar and Joshua. To assist them, one man of significance is to be chosen from each of the tribes sharing in the lot. Precise borders may have been left as negotiable points among these men, who must have been men of greatest integrity and trustworthiness. They are named in the order in which their lots progress from south to north generally in the new land. Of these men we know nothing more.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

627.

Why are Eleazar and Joshua chosen to guide the distribution of the land by lot?

628.

What characteristics would you expect to have found in the men selected to represent each tribe in this process?