The plague having swept away the last of that devoted
generation, which provoked the Lord to "swear in his wrath
that they should not enter" Canaan; he now, after an interval
of 38; years, commands another census of the Israelites to be
made, to preserve the distinction of families, and to regulate
the tribes previous to their entry into the promised land, as
well as to ascertain the proportion of land which should be
allotted to each tribe. For, though the whole was divided by
lot, yet the portions were so disposed, that a numerous tribe
did not draw where the lots assigned small inheritances, or
the contrary.
1:2,3 Ex 30:12 38:25,26
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