53. Unto these the land shall be divided. This must have had great influence towards encouraging believers, when they gave in their names before God, and professed that they were heirs of the land; since it was exactly the same as if they actually had it in their grasp, when God called them to its certain possession; for the demonstrative pronoun is used emphatically, lest they should suppose that they were to be put off any longer, and that what was promised them was still to be kept in store for their posterity. The actual fulfillment, therefore, and immediate presence of the thing is indicated, when God prescribes that the land was to be divided to those who were just numbered, and whose names appeared in the public registers. A proportionable mode of division is then enjoined, so that their share should be distributed to every tribe according to the number of their names. We now perceive that they were registered, and, so to speak, (195) lustrated, in order that they might more earnestly bestir themselves to take possession of the promised land.
(195) Lat., “Quasi lustratos.” Fr. “Comme receus de nouveau;” as it were received anew: — the allusion is, I need hardly say, to the Roman lustrum, or quinquennial census and readjustment of the classes of the people.