Elidad’s appointment reminds us that every tribe and individual had a distinct role in fulfilling God’s covenant purposes.
“Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. (v.21) In this passage, the LORD designates Elidad as the representative chosen from the tribe of Benjamin to assist in dividing the Promised Land among the Israelites. By appointing men from each tribe, God ensures that every family’s inheritance is justly allotted, reflecting His desire for order and equity in Israel. The tribe of Benjamin descended from the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel (Genesis 35:18), and in the first census recorded in Numbers 1:36-37, it numbered 35,400 able-bodied men. Although not the largest of the tribes, Benjamin would hold a significant position in Israel’s future, producing King Saul (around 1050 BC) and later the Apostle Paul (Romans 11:1).
When Moses received God’s instructions on how to divide Canaan, each tribe stepped forward with a leader who would oversee the process. Thus we read in the verse that “Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.” (v.21) This choice highlights that the distribution of the land was not a random event, but a holy task carried out by recognized heads of tribes, each tasked with stewarding God’s promise. Historically, the territory allotted to the tribe of Benjamin lay just north of Judah, near the central highlands, and included pivotal locations such as Jericho (Joshua 18:11-21). It was a region suited both for agriculture and trade, providing a vital link between the northern and southern parts of Israel.
As the son of Chislon, Elidad would have lived sometime around the late 15th century BC (shortly after Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness). By identifying each tribe’s delegate by name, Scripture underlines the personal commitment these leaders were to make on behalf of their people. This verse reminds readers that the covenant community was composed of individuals actively participating in God’s plan—whether in worship, warfare, or in the sacred act of settling the land God had promised.
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Numbers 34:21 meaning
“Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. (v.21) In this passage, the LORD designates Elidad as the representative chosen from the tribe of Benjamin to assist in dividing the Promised Land among the Israelites. By appointing men from each tribe, God ensures that every family’s inheritance is justly allotted, reflecting His desire for order and equity in Israel. The tribe of Benjamin descended from the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel (Genesis 35:18), and in the first census recorded in Numbers 1:36-37, it numbered 35,400 able-bodied men. Although not the largest of the tribes, Benjamin would hold a significant position in Israel’s future, producing King Saul (around 1050 BC) and later the Apostle Paul (Romans 11:1).
When Moses received God’s instructions on how to divide Canaan, each tribe stepped forward with a leader who would oversee the process. Thus we read in the verse that “Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.” (v.21) This choice highlights that the distribution of the land was not a random event, but a holy task carried out by recognized heads of tribes, each tasked with stewarding God’s promise. Historically, the territory allotted to the tribe of Benjamin lay just north of Judah, near the central highlands, and included pivotal locations such as Jericho (Joshua 18:11-21). It was a region suited both for agriculture and trade, providing a vital link between the northern and southern parts of Israel.
As the son of Chislon, Elidad would have lived sometime around the late 15th century BC (shortly after Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness). By identifying each tribe’s delegate by name, Scripture underlines the personal commitment these leaders were to make on behalf of their people. This verse reminds readers that the covenant community was composed of individuals actively participating in God’s plan—whether in worship, warfare, or in the sacred act of settling the land God had promised.