Numbers 34:13, "Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;" means the following:
Moses's Command: This verse emphasizes that Moses, acting as God's representative, is giving a specific instruction to the Israelites.
Land Inheritance: It refers to the allocation of the land of Canaan as an inheritance for the Israelites. God promised the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham.
"By Lot": The land was to be divided "by lot," which means by casting lots, similar to drawing straws. This method was believed to reveal God's will in the distribution, preventing disputes and ensuring a sense of fairness. It wasn't a random selection in the modern sense; it was considered a divinely guided process.
Divine Command: The distribution of the land was not Moses's idea but a direct command from Yahweh (God). This underscores the religious and spiritual significance of the land and its allocation.
Nine and a Half Tribes: It specifies that the land was to be given to "the nine tribes and to the half-tribe."
The tribe of Levi did not receive a specific land inheritance. Instead, they were designated as priests and ministers, and they lived in cities scattered throughout the territories of the other tribes.
Two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) had already received their inheritance east of the Jordan River (Numbers 32). So, the focus here is on the land west of the Jordan, which remained to be divided among the remaining nine and a half tribes.
In essence, this verse is about the process by which God was ensuring the equitable (in the sense that God was making the decision), divinely ordained distribution of the Promised Land to the tribes of Israel who had not yet received their allotment.
Numbers 34:13, "Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which Yahweh has commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half-tribe;" means the following:
Moses's Command: This verse emphasizes that Moses, acting as God's representative, is giving a specific instruction to the Israelites.
Land Inheritance: It refers to the allocation of the land of Canaan as an inheritance for the Israelites. God promised the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham.
"By Lot": The land was to be divided "by lot," which means by casting lots, similar to drawing straws. This method was believed to reveal God's will in the distribution, preventing disputes and ensuring a sense of fairness. It wasn't a random selection in the modern sense; it was considered a divinely guided process.
Divine Command: The distribution of the land was not Moses's idea but a direct command from Yahweh (God). This underscores the religious and spiritual significance of the land and its allocation.
Nine and a Half Tribes: It specifies that the land was to be given to "the nine tribes and to the half-tribe."
The tribe of Levi did not receive a specific land inheritance. Instead, they were designated as priests and ministers, and they lived in cities scattered throughout the territories of the other tribes.
Two and a half tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) had already received their inheritance east of the Jordan River (Numbers 32). So, the focus here is on the land west of the Jordan, which remained to be divided among the remaining nine and a half tribes.
In essence, this verse is about the process by which God was ensuring the equitable (in the sense that God was making the decision), divinely ordained distribution of the Promised Land to the tribes of Israel who had not yet received their allotment.