According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.
The land of Canaan was to be assigned by lot, with its possession divided between groups according to their number. The portion for the many was to be made larger and the portion for the few smaller, so that each allotment was proportioned to the size of the group receiving it. Assigning the inheritance in this way prevented anyone from choosing the best land for himself. It helped ensure that the poor and less fortunate had an equal share and opportunity with the rest. The arrangement gave every family a home and sufficient land to cultivate. Having that home and cultivable land supplied each family with both the means and the incentive for a useful, industrious, self-supporting life.
The land of Canaan was to be assigned by lot, with its possession divided between groups according to their number. The portion for the many was to be made larger and the portion for the few smaller, so that each allotment was proportioned to the size of the group receiving it. Assigning the inheritance in this way prevented anyone from choosing the best land for himself. It helped ensure that the poor and less fortunate had an equal share and opportunity with the rest. The arrangement gave every family a home and sufficient land to cultivate. Having that home and cultivable land supplied each family with both the means and the incentive for a useful, industrious, self-supporting life.