The form of the division of the land is no other than the division itself — just as neither of an action nor of an accident is any other form found than the action or accident its very self, unless someone should wish, metaphysically, to speculate too much on its difference from [its] genus. Let us rather now consider that [thing] which is nearer to the foregoing matter: into what parts the land was distributed. Now the distribution was twofold. The prior, general — namely into those very tribes to which the inheritance, by the Lord’s prescription, was indeed to be given, but had not hitherto been given. The posterior, special — the distribution of the portions of those [inheritances] which had been given to each tribe, into families and houses. By the prior division the parts made were nine and a half. Because two whole tribes, Ruben and Gad, with the half of Manasseh, had [already] received an inheritance beyond the Jordan (Num. ch. 32); but the Levitical [tribe] ought not to come into a part of the inheritance (Num. 18, vv. 23, 24; Deut. 10, v. 9; and this ch. 13, v. 14). There remained, therefore, [those] to whom a portion had to be attributed — nine tribes, and the residual half of Manasseh. Now some think these nine parts were altogether equal in space. But from the aspect of the single parts, the contrary at once shines forth. And therefore, with Abulensis, Genebrardus, [and] Arias, it must be said [that] the parts were indeed equal — not in space and amplitude, but only in proportion, which the diverse multitude of the tribes, and likewise the diverse richness of the places, counselled. A comparison, therefore, being made of one tribe to the other tribes as to the multitude of heads, and again of places to places as to richness, parts were assigned to all their tribes [that were] unequal indeed in space, but equal in analogy and equity. And this is [that] which is signified (Num. 35, v. 8): “The cities themselves, which shall be given from the possessions of the children of Israel, from those who have more, more shall be taken away; and [from those] who [have] less, fewer. Each, according to the measure of his inheritance, shall give towns to the Levites.” And indeed the Lord had commanded this very thing before (same book, ch. 33, v. 54): “I have given,” he says, “to you the land in possession, which you shall divide to yourselves by lot. To the more you shall give the wider [portion], and to the fewer the narrower.” And therefore, when Josephus had compared the parts of this land among themselves (bk. 5, ch. 1), he said “τιμητὸν μᾶλλον ἢ μετρητὸν τοὺς κλήρους εἶναι δεῖν [timēton mallon ē metrēton tous klērous einai dein]” — that is, “[that] the lots, or portions, ought to be assessed rather by worth than by measure.” And afterward: “Ἰησοῦς κατὰ μέγεθος ἑκάστης τῶν φυλῶν τὴν μέτρησιν ποιησάμενος [Iēsous kata megethos hekastēs tōn phylōn tēn metrēsin poiēsamenos]” — that is, “Joshua, having made the measuring according to the size of each of the tribes, made the dividing [dimension] of the land.” And again afterward, Josephus, giving the cause why the portion of the tribe of Benjamin was narrowest — “στενότατος ὁ κλῆρος οὗτος διὰ τὴν τῆς γῆς ἀρετήν [stenotatos ho klēros houtos dia tēn tēs gēs aretēn]” — this, he says, was done on account of the excellence and fecundity of its soil. Masius, however (p. 280), notes this [portion], as to its inequality of space, in the seven tribes which by the posterior casting-of-lots obtained their part — because he thinks account was had, not of the multitude which then was, but of that which was to be [had in the future]. But [that] this had place also in the prior
(col. 1107)
[division] he [Masius] nevertheless concedes it in. And what the future multitude would be, God alone could foresee; which, unless he had premonstrated [it], some occasion of suspecting injury would have been left to the tribes, when they beheld a larger portion given, at that time, to a small number. But how, in this matter, an error at first crept into the tribe of Juda and Simeon, and was afterward corrected, will be said not long after.