according to the lot] Verse 54. it is said, To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the lesse inheritance; which sheweth that the partition of the land was to be made with proportion to the people, how then was it to be divided by lots? Answ. Part of the land on the one side Jordan was already divided, (though without lot) betwixt the children of Reuben and Gad, and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh, beyond Jordan to them that come of Egypt, Numbers 32:4,5. The other part was by Geometricall skill (as Josephus observeth, Antiq. lib. 5. cap. 1.) to be divided into nine parts and an halfe; which parts some conceive to have beene made Geomtrically equall, yet so as that according to the fruitfulnesse or unfruitfulnesse of the ground, the proportion was more or lesse; whence Benjamin had more company and lesse land then other Tribes; because his portion fell in a more fertil soyle: but it may be the parts were unequally divided, and made proportionable to the Tribes, that is, for the Tribes of the greatest number the greatest proportion, and so descending by lesse measure to the least, according to the number of the Tribes, and the goodnesse of the ground: after this division, equall or unequall, the lots were cast, and each Tribe having taken his lot, if the division were into unequall parts, (unequall among themselves, but equall according to the proportion of the Tribes) then it was both by proportion and by lot also, the Lord directing the lot to light according to the proportionable division before mentioned; but if the parts were equall, then if the lots being cast and any one had lesse then sufficient, there was an addition made by estimation without lot, as to the children of Joseph, Josh. 17. from 5: 14. to the end of the Chapter, and so Judah having partly by the favour of his lot a large proportion, and partly by valour making himselfe more roome by removing and rooting out the Canaanites, parted with some of his portion to the Tribe of Simeon which needed an augmentation of measure in regard of their number. Or taking the first assignation of portions (after the generall and Geometricall division of the land) to be by lot, the subdivision into families might be by particular estimation and proportion, according to vers. 54. and by that the measure being made as equall as might be, if yet any were not pleased to take his part by such a partition according to anothers discretion and appointment, they might have recourse to lots againe, and so take their share by the disposition of Gods providence, Proverbs 16:33. and so be quiet, occasion of strife being by that meanes cut off, Proverbs 18:18. Now though the division at first were made into nine parts and an halfe, (as hath beene said) yet the particular possession and acceptation of these parts was put off for some years; either because the first division was not thought for want of fidelitie or skill, to be rightly made, or because the Canaanites were not presently driven out from among them. There was afterward another surveigh and partition made into seven parts, for there were seven Tribes which yet had not received their inheritance, and it was brought to Joshua in a booke, concerning which he was by lot to make a distribution among the Tribes, which yet were not accommodated to their content, whereof see Josh. 18. vers. 6, 8, 9, 10.