NUM 26

Numbers 26:54

WEB

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.

BSB

Increase the inheritance for a large tribe and decrease it for a small one; each tribe is to receive its inheritance according to the number of those registered.

KJV

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.

Matthew Henry

Verses 52–56

Numbers 26:52–56

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 (Num 26:54); 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.

Cross-references: Num 26:54

Hebrew interlinear

H7227

רַבrab/rab/

a n-m — abundant

Derivation: by contracted from 7231;

abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)

KJV: (in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).

רַב

n.m — chief

רַב 49 n.m. chief

רַב

adj — much

רַב 429 adj. much, many, great

1. (oft. opp. מְעַט)

a.

(1). much: of substances

(2). esp. of collectives, numerous

b. pl. many

c. רַב as subst. coll. pers.

d. cstr. = abounding in

e. מִן comp. = more numerous than

f. רַב = abundant, enough

g. as adv. much, exceedingly

2. less oft. great

H7235

רָבָהrâbâh/raw-baw'/

v — increase

Derivation: a primitive root;

to increase (in whatever respect)

KJV: (bring in) abundance (× -antly), archer (by mistake for 7232), be in authority, bring up, × continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, × -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), × process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.

רָבָה

vb — be much

[רָבָה] 225 vb. be, or become, much, many, great

Qal 59

1. become many, numerous

2.

a. be great

b. grow great (Aramaism)

Pi. 4 make large, increase

Hiph. 162

1. make much or many

2. make great, obj. pers.

רָבָה

vb — shoot

[רָבָה] vb. shoot;—only Qal Gn 21:20

H5159

נַחֲלָהnachălâh/nakh-al-aw'/

n-f — inherited, occupancy, heirloom, estate, patrimony, portion

Derivation: from 5157 (in its usual sense);

properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion

KJV: heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession. Compare 5158.

נַחֲלָה

n.f — possession

נַחֲלָה 224 n.f. possession, property, inheritance

1. property

2. portion, share

3. inheritance

H4592

מְעַטmᵉʻaṭ/meh-at'/

n-m — little, few

Derivation: or מְעָט; from 4591;

a little or few (often adverbial or comparative)

KJV: almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, × very.

מְעַט

subst — a little

מְעַט 101 subst. a little, fewness, a few

H4591

מָעַטmâʻaṭ/maw-at'/

v — pare, lessen, be, make, small, few, ineffective

Derivation: a primitive root;

properly, to pare off, i.e. lessen; intransitively, to be (or causatively, to make) small or few (or figuratively, ineffective)

KJV: suffer to decrease, diminish, (be, × borrow a, give, make) few (in number, -ness), gather least (little), be (seem) little, (× give the) less, be minished, bring to nothing.

מָעַט

vb — be small

[מָעַט] vb. be or become small, diminished, few

Qal be too small for a lamb

Pi. become few

Hiph. make small or few, diminish

H376

אִישׁʼîysh/eesh/

n-m — man

Derivation: contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant);

a 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)

KJV: also, another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare 802.

אִישׁ

n.m — man

אִישׁ 2166 n.m. man (= vir)

H6310

פֶּהpeh/peh/

n-m — mouth, blowing, speech, edge, portion, side, according to

Derivation: from 6284;

the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to

KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), × eat, edge, end, entry, file, hole, × in, mind, mouth, part, portion, × (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, × spoken, talk, tenor, × to, two-edged, wish, word.

פֶּה

n.m — mouth

פֶּה 485 n.m. mouth

1.

a. mouth, of man, organ of eating and drinking

b. external organ

2.

a. much oftener, as organ of speech, of man

b. as laughing; panting

c. of God

d. of idols

e. of musical instr. = sound

3. of animals; hence of edge of sword

4. mouth = opening, orifice

5.

a. extremity, end

b. = portion

6. with preps.

H6485

פָּקַדpâqad/paw-kad'/

v n-m — visit, oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

Derivation: a primitive root;

to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.

KJV: appoint, × at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, × by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, × surely, visit, want.

פָּקַד

vb — attend to

פָּקַד 303 vb. attend to, visit, muster, appoint

Qal

A.

1.

a. pay attention to, observe (with care, practical interest)

b. attend to, in act, see to

c. seek (with interest, desire)

d. seek in vain, need, miss, lack

2. specif. visit, c. acc., for different purposes

3. c. עַל pers., visit upon

4. pass in review, muster (nearly = number), c. acc.

B. appoint

Niph.

1. be (sought, i.e. needed) missed, lacking

2. be visited (graciously)

3. be visited upon, עַל pers.

4. be appointed

Pi. (intens.) muster a host

Pu. be passed in review; be caused to miss, deprived

Hithp. be mustered

Hothp. id.

Hiph.

1. c. acc. pers. set (over), make overseer

2. c. acc. rei (implic.)

a. commit, entrust

b. deposit

Hoph.

1. be visited in punishment

2. be deposited

3. be made overseer

פְּקוּדִים

n.pl.[m.] abstr — musterings

[פְּקוּדִים] n.pl.[m.] abstr. musterings, i.e. expenses;—cstr. Ex 38:21

H5414

נָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/

v — give, put, make

Derivation: a primitive root;

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.

נָתַן

vb — give

נָתַן 2007 vb. give, put, set

Qal 1917

1. give

2. Put, set

3. Make, constitute

Niph. 82

1. be given

2. Be put, set

Hoph.

1.

a. be given, bestowed

b. = be given to one for wife

2. be put upon

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