Land Lottery

A Land Lottery is a method of allocating land ownership or the right to occupy land by lot.

Some examples are:

• Moses' allocation of Promised Land territory to the Israelite tribes by lot, as mandated in Numbers 26:55 and 33:54
• The Georgia Land Lotteries held between the years 1805 and 1833
• The allocation of reclaimed land at Tule Lake, California, to returning veteran homesteaders after World War II. It is reported that prospective settlers' names were drawn from a pickle jar because the number of applicants was greater than the number of homesteads available.^[1]

Israelite Land Lottery

Map of the twelve tribes of Israel (before the move of Dan to the north)

Numbers 26:52-56 combines allocation of land by lot with a distribution system allocating territory according to each tribes' adult male population size. The Pulpit Commentary suggests that the community 'probably employed stones, differing in shape or colour, or having some distinguishing mark', which were 'placed in a vessel or in the fold of a garment, and drawn or shaken thence',^[2] with the outcome being interpreted as a divine decision.^[3]

References

1. Klamath Project, "The Klamath Project at 100: Conserving our Resources, Preserving our Heritage" http://nebula.wsimg.com/32eef7685dfbe3422fba25c7b1a7b461?AccessKeyId=F79F3BB35D44F5CEBBA5&disposition=0&alloworigin=1, accessed 3 July 2015
2. Pulpit Commentary via Bible Hub, http://biblehub.com/proverbs/16-33.htm, accessed 3 July 2015
3. Proverbs 16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD