And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.
These are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan. This chanter forms the introduction to an account of the allocation of the land west of Jordan, or Canaan proper, to the nine tribes and one-half. It was also made by lot in presence of a select number of superintendents, appointed according to divine directions given to Moses (see the note at Numbers 34:16-29). In everything pertaining civil government, and even the division of the land, Joshua was the acknowledged chief. But in a matter to be determined by lot, a solemn appeal was made to God, and hence, Eleazar, as high priest, is named before Joshua.