Their inheritance was by lot, just as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is the emphasis on "by lot." It wasn't just a random drawing; it was a sacred method to ensure fairness and acknowledge God’s sovereign hand in directing their inheritance, preventing earthly disputes by appealing to divine guidance.
Their inheritance was by lot, just as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the conquest of Canaan, Joshua, with Eleazar the priest and the tribal leaders, begins the monumental task of dividing the promised land. This verse highlights that the specific territories each of the nine and a half tribes would receive were determined by casting lots, a method ordained by God through Moses to ensure fairness and prevent disputes. This process occurs before the full conquest is complete and before individual land claims, like Caleb's request for Hebron, are finalized, setting the stage for the distribution to come.
Ever feel like life's outcomes are random or unfair? The Israelites faced a massive undertaking: dividing a promised land. How did they ensure fairness?
In Joshua 14:2, we read that the inheritance of the land was decided 'by lot.' This wasn't just a random game of chance! It was a God-ordained method to ensure fairness and prevent disputes among the tribes.
Divine Decision Making
Why the specific mention of 'nine tribes and a half'? This detail points to a larger, intentional distribution plan for the entire people of Israel.
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Joshua 14:2 specifically mentions 'the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.' This isn't just a random number; it’s a crucial part of understanding how the land was divided.
A Balanced Inheritance
Understand the original words
goral · Hebrew Noun
A customary practice in the Ancient Near East used to determine divine will in making decisions or distributing property, showing that the outcome was directed by God rather than human chance.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, the I AM, who keeps His covenant promises and is the supreme authority over the nation and the land.
Mosheh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The prophet, deliverer, and mediator of the Old Covenant through whom God delivered the Law and the instructions for the conquest and division of Canaan.
The casting of lots wasn't just a random draw; it was a divine method to ensure fairness and demonstrate God's providential guidance in allotting territory, fulfilling ancient promises made by Jacob and Moses.
c. 1406 BC
Israelites Cross the Jordan River
After 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, led by Joshua, crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land of Canaan.
c. 1406-1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites waged war against the Canaanite nations, conquering significant portions of the land.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Division of Land by Lot
Joshua, along with Eleazar the priest and tribal leaders, began the process of dividing the conquered land of Canaan among the twelve tribes by casting lots, as commanded by God through Moses.
c. 1400 BC
Caleb Claims His Inheritance
Caleb, having remained faithful to God, requested and was granted the mountainous region of Hebron, fulfilling a promise made by Moses.
c. 1400 BC
Settlement of Transjordanian Tribes
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River before the division of Canaan.
This passage explicitly details the command from the LORD to divide the land of Canaan by lot according to the number of names in each tribe, directly linking to Joshua's actions in distributing the inheritance.
Proverbs 16:33This verse states that 'the lot is cast into the lap, but its every determination is from the LORD,' underscoring the theological understanding that the casting of lots was not random chance but a method for discerning God's will for the distribution of land.
Genesis 49:1-28The patriarchal blessings of Jacob on his twelve sons foretold the general regions and characteristics of the lands their descendants would inherit, and the fulfillment through the lot confirmed these prophetic pronouncements.
Joshua 18:6-10This passage shows how the process of dividing the remaining land by lot continued after the initial distribution, demonstrating that it was a consistent method ordained by God for settling the tribes in their inheritances.
1 Chronicles 26:23-28This passage describes the Levites being appointed over the treasures of the house of God and the duties of service, highlighting that while other tribes received land by lot, the Levites had a unique inheritance of service to the Lord, paralleling the exclusion of Levites from land division mentioned in Joshua 14.
calvinJoshua 14:1-15: "And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them."
- And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for…
gillJoshua 14:2: "By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe."
By lot was their inheritance,.... Every tribe had its part and portion assigned to it, by the casting of lots; which was done to prevent any future quarrels, animosities and strifes among the tribes, the disposition being of the Lord; and to show the exact agreement between the lot and the divine predictions by Jacob and Moses; and to make it appear that the divi…
What's easily missed here is the emphasis on "by lot." It wasn't just a random drawing; it was a sacred method to ensure fairness and acknowledge God’s sovereign hand in directing their inheritance, preventing earthly disputes by appealing to divine guidance.
After the conquest of Canaan, Joshua, with Eleazar the priest and the tribal leaders, begins the monumental task of dividing the promised land. This verse highlights that the specific territories each of the nine and a half tribes would receive were determined by casting lots, a method ordained by God through Moses to ensure fairness and prevent disputes. This process occurs before the full conquest is complete and before individual land claims, like Caleb's request for Hebron, are finalized, setting the stage for the distribution to come.
After the conquest of Canaan, Joshua, with Eleazar the priest and the tribal leaders, begins the monumental task of dividing the promised land. This verse highlights that the specific territories each of the nine and a half tribes would receive were determined by casting lots, a method ordained by God through Moses to ensure fairness and prevent disputes. This process occurs before the full conquest is complete and before individual land claims, like Caleb's request for Hebron, are finalized, setting the stage for the distribution to come.
"Their inheritance was by lot, just as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes." — What's easily missed here is the emphasis on "by lot." It wasn't just a random drawing; it was a sacred method to ensure fairness and acknowledge God’s sovereign hand in directing their inheritance,…
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Last reviewed October 2026