Meaning
An allotment is a share or portion assigned to a person or group, especially through a process of distribution.
Biblical Usage
In the Bible, an allotment is a portion assigned to a person or group. The concept is particularly prominent in the division of the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel.
The land was divided according to the tribes and families, with the distribution being associated with the casting of lots. An allotment therefore describes the assigned share, while inheritance emphasizes what is received or possessed as an inheritance.
The Bible also uses the related concept of a lot to describe an assigned portion or share. The meaning is not limited to land, although land allotments are a major biblical example.
Key References
Numbers 26:55 — The land was to be divided by lot according to the tribes.
Numbers 33:54 — The land was to be divided by lot for an inheritance among the families.
Joshua 18:10 — Joshua cast lots and divided the land among the children of Israel.
Joshua 23:4 — Joshua referred to the remaining nations and the land that had been divided by lot for Israel’s inheritance.
Psalm 16:5 — David described the LORD as the portion of his inheritance and referred to his lot.
Related Terms
- Portion
- Inheritance
- Heritage
- Land
- Territory
- Lot