Numbers 26:55

The casting of lots is of the nature of an appeal to God, and was resorted to in order to detect a culprit (Joshua 7:14; 1 Samuel 14:42; Jon 1:7), to select an office-bearer (1 Samuel 10:20; 1 Chronicles 24:4; Acts 1:26), or to make a division of property as here (cp. Matthew 27:35). See also Leviticus 16:8 and the note on Urim and Thummim, Exodus 28:30. In the case before us, lots were cast to determine the locality of each tribe's inheritance, but its size was regulated by the number of the names, the relative fertility of each locality being also no doubt taken into consideration. The twelve lots, which would be tablets of wood or stone, each inscribed with the name of a tribe, were probably put in an urn; and, as the name of each portion of land was called out, the high priest or representative of a tribe (see Numbers 34:16) drew a lot, and the tribe whose name was drawn inherited that territory. The precise boundaries would be adjusted afterwards, according to the population shown by the census.

64, 65. See Numbers 14:22.