Numbers 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 26:55 mean?
God is promising the Israelites that their land will be distributed fairly among the twelve tribes through a system of casting lots (essentially a divinely guided drawing). This method ensured that no tribe could claim favoritism or argue that the division was unjust, since the outcome would be understood as coming from God himself rather than human bias or politics. The phrase "according to the names of the tribes of their fathers" simply means each tribe would receive its portion as a distinct group, preserving their identity and heritage as they settled into the promised land. For a community that had wandered in the desert for forty years, this was reassurance that everyone would have a genuine home and place, decided by a process they could trust.