You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families: The highlighted notion of “inherit” (n ch l in Hebrew) in this verse complements that of “possess” in the preceding verses. In some languages the verb inherit may not combine well stylistically with the phrase by lot. If so, this verb may be rendered “Divide” (Good News Translation) or “allocate” (Levine). For by lot, which Good News Translation renders “by drawing lots,” see 26.55. As in 1.2 (see the comments there), the Hebrew word for families (mishpachah) is better rendered “clans” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version). According to your families may be translated “clan by clan” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, La Nouvelle Bible Segond). New Living Translation provides a helpful model for this whole clause, saying “You must distribute the land among the clans by sacred lot.”

To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance is literally “to the large/many you shall increase its inheritance, and to the small/few you shall decrease its inheritance.” As in 26.54 (see the comments there), the Hebrew text does not use any kinship term here. So New Revised Standard Version is more accurate with “to a large one you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small one you shall give a small inheritance.” If a term is needed to render “one,” translators may use “clan/clans” (New Living Translation, Parole de Vie, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, SPCL, Nueva Traducción Viviente) or “group/groups” (New International Version, NET Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh); for example, New International Version renders this sentence as “To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one.” As mentioned at 16.14, the Hebrew term for inheritance (nachalah) refers to inherited property that must not be sold or taken away.

Wherever the lot falls to any man, that shall be his is literally “to where it [the lot] goes out to it [the group/clan], there the lot is to it [the group/clan].” The Hebrew text lacks a word for man. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh is a little more accurate with “Wherever the lot falls for anyone, that shall be his.” Strictly speaking, it is even more accurate to say “Wherever the lot falls for any group/clan, that shall be its.” New Living Translation expresses the point of this sentence quite naturally, saying “The decision of the sacred lot is final.” NET Bible has “Everyone’s inheritance must be in the place where his lot falls.” Good News Translation greatly condenses this verse and unfortunately omits this sentence in the process. The divine instruction is very explicit here, and this specificity should be reflected in translation if possible.

According to the tribes of your fathers you shall inherit: New International Version provides a helpful model here, saying “Distribute it according to your ancestral tribes” (similarly New Revised Standard Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). For tribes see 1.4.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .