Indeed, the land must be divided by lot; they shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.
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...
Commenting on Numbers 26:52-56
the land shall be divided by lot--The appeal to the lot did not place the matter beyond the control of God; for it is at His disposal (Pro 16:33), and He has fixed to all the bounds of their habitation. The manner in which the lot was taken has not been recorded.
Num 26:52-56 Instructions concerning the Distribution of the Land. - In Num 26:53, Num 26:54, the command is given to distribute the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes (“unto these”), according to the number of the names (Num 1:2-18), i.e., to the tribes and families that contained only a few persons, they were to make it small; to every one according to the...
Commenting on Numbers 26:52-56