Bible/Numbers/26

Numbers 26:54

26:53 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.
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. give the more: Heb. multiply his inheritance give the less: Heb. diminish his inheritance

KJV

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To the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance. To everyone according to those who were counted of him shall his inheritance be given.

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.

To many you shall give the more inheritance, and to few you shall give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.

26:55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

What does Numbers 26:54 mean?

Numbers 26:54 is a verse in the book of Numbers, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include רַב (rab), רָבָה (râbâh), נַחֲלָה (nachălâh). It connects to 5 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
To
manyרַבrab/rab/H7227abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
thou
shalt
give
the
moreרָבָהrâbâh/raw-baw'/H7235to increase (in whatever respect)
inheritance,נַחֲלָהnachălâh/nakh-al-aw'/H5159properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion
and
to
fewמְעַטmᵉʻaṭ/meh-at'/H4592a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)
thou
shalt
give
the
lessמָעַטmâʻaṭ/maw-at'/H4591properly, to pare off, i.e. lessen; intransitively, to be (or causatively, to make) small or few (or figuratively, ineffective)
inheritance:נַחֲלָהnachălâh/nakh-al-aw'/H5159properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion
to
every
oneאִישׁʼîysh/eesh/H376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
shall
his
inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh/nakh-al-aw'/H5159properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion
be
givenנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
accordingפֶּהpeh/peh/H6310the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to
to
those
that
were
numberedפָּקַדpâqad/paw-kad'/H6485to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.
of
him.
give
the
more:
Heb.
multiply
his
inheritance
give
the
less:
Heb.
diminish
his
inheritance

Commentary on Numbers 26:54

HENRY_FULL · Numbers 26:52–56
Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 53 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. 54 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. 55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few. If any ask why such a particular account is kept of the tribes, and families, and numbers, of the people of Israel, here is an answer for them; as they were multiplied, so they were portioned, not by common providence, but by promise; and, for the support of the honour of divine revelation, God will have the fulfilling of the promise taken notice of both in their increase and in their inheritance. When Moses had numbered the people God did not say, By these shall the land be conquered; but, taking that for granted, he tells him, Unto these shall the land be divided. "These that are now registered as the sons of Israel shall be admitted (as it were by copy of court-roll) heirs of the land of Canaan." Now, in the distributing, or quartering, of these tribes, 1. The general rule of equity is here prescribed to Moses, that to many he should give more, and to few he should give less ( v. 54 ); yet, alas! he was so far from giving any to others that he must not have any himself, but this direction given to him was intended for Joshua his successor. 2. The application of this general rule was to be determined by lot ( v. 55 ); notwithstanding it seems thus to be left to the prudence of their prince, yet the matter must be finally reserved to the providence of their God, in which they must all acquiesce, how much soever it contradicted their policies or inclination: According to the lot shall the possession be divided. As the God of nations, so the God of Israel in particular, reserves it to himself to appoint the bounds of our habitation. And thus Christ, our Joshua, when he was urged to appoint one of his disciples to his right hand, another to his left in his kingdom, acknowledged the sovereignty of his Father in the disposal: It is not mine to give. Joshua must not dispose of inheritances in Canaan according to his own mind. But it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared of my Father. 57 And these

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Numbers 32:33

And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.

Deuteronomy 3:16

And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;

Deuteronomy 3:17

The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward. Ashdothpisgah; or, the springs of Pisgah, or, the hill

Joshua 12:1

Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:

Joshua 13:8

With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them;

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Numbers 26:54.

Numbers 33:54

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. give the more: Heb. multiply his inheritance give the less: Heb. diminish his inheritance

Exodus 16:18

And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

Leviticus 25:16

According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.

Numbers 26:56

According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

Numbers 35:8

And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth. he: Heb. they inherit

Exodus 12:4

And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

Exodus 16:17

And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

Exodus 30:15

The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. give more: Heb. multiply give less: Heb. diminish

Frequently asked questions

What does Numbers 26:54 say?

Numbers 26:54 (King James Version) reads: "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. give the more: Heb. multiply his inheritance give the less: Heb. diminish his inheritance"

Is Numbers 26:54 in the Old or New Testament?

Numbers 26:54 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Numbers.

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As you read Numbers 26:54, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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