4). The Leaders Who Will Divide the Land For Them Are Appointed (Numbers 34:16-29).
The picture is further enhanced by naming the leaders who will see to the dividing up of the land, which are now given. This was a guarantee that within their lifetime the land would be possessed. This was to be no future dream, it was a present hope. They could look to their leader's tents and see where the one who would actually do this was dwelling. Here was certainty and encouragement sufficient for all. Those mainly responsible for the division would be Joshua and Eleazar, but they would be assisted by the chieftains of the nine and a half tribes.
Analysis.
a Yahweh declares the names of those who will divide the land (Numbers 34:16-18).
b The princes names listed (Numbers 34:19-28).
a These are those whom Yahweh has commanded to divide the land (Numbers 34:29).
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,'
Once again it is insisted that this was what was commanded to Moses by Yahweh.
“ These are the names of the men who will divide the land to you for inheritance: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.”
The two men mainly responsible for dividing the land would be Eleazar the Priest and Joshua. Eleazar was named first out of deference to his present position. Joshua was still simply the heir elect. But Eleazar is always mentioned first when the two are named together in direct contrast with Moses and Aaron suggesting that Joshua's status was never quite seen as on a par with that of Moses (Numbers 32:28; Joshua 14:1; Joshua 17:4; Joshua 19:51; Joshua 21:1).
“ And you shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land for inheritance.”
And they were to act through the named chieftains of the tribe. The names of these chieftains is now given. The list is very pointed. The only chieftain remaining of the old chieftains was Caleb. All the others had passed way to be replaced by the new generation. Compare Numbers 1:4-16; Numbers 13:4-15. Joshua was the only other exception, but he was no longer available having been made commander-in-chief.
“ And these are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. And of the tribe of the children of Dan a prince, Bukki the son of Jogli. Of the children of Joseph: of the tribe of the children of Manasseh a prince, Hanniel the son of Ephod. And of the tribe of the children of Ephraim a prince, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. And of the tribe of the children of Zebulun a prince, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. And of the tribe of the children of Issachar a prince, Paltiel the son of Azzan. And of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. And of the tribe of the children of Naphtali a prince, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.”
“ These are they whom Yahweh commanded to divide the inheritance to the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.”
These chieftains are the ones whom Yahweh has commanded should divide up the inheritance of the children of Israel in the land of Canaan. This was Yahweh's inheritance, given to the children of Israel. It was to be theirs and would be divided up by their chieftains alive at this day.