Numbers 34:18

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 34:18 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.
Numbers 34:18 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 34

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
18And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And ye shall take one prince out of every tribe, etc.] That is, out of the nine tribes and the half, which are ten in all; of the tribes of Reuben and Gad none were taken, because they had had their inheritance granted them elsewhere; nor of the tribe of Levi, because they were to have no inheritance in the land: to divide the land by inheritance; who being men of honour, understanding, and probity, and naturally concerned for the good of the tribes to which they belonged, would take care that justice be done to each, and that no fraudulent methods were used in drawing the lot; and then take possession according to the lot, and impartially divide the portion assigned among the respective…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Of the representatives now selected through Moses beforehand, who were all princes, i. e. heads of chief families, in their respective tribes (see Numbers 13:2), Caleb alone, of the tribe of Judah, is otherwise known to us (see Numbers 13:4 ff). The order in which the tribes are named is peculiar to this passage. If they be taken in pairs, Judah and Simeon, Benjamin and Dan, Manasseh and Ephraim, Zebulun and Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, the order of the pairs agrees with the order in which the allotments in the Holy land, taken also in couples, followed each other in the map from south to north. return to 'Top of Page' Footnotes: Copyright Statement These files are public domain.…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Num 1:4-16 Numbers 34:19”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification