When the land of Israel was divided in Numbers 26, it was assigned by family, with larger families getting more land than smaller ones. However, each man twenty years or older was counted as a family, whether he was married or not. It would have benefited a man to marry and begin having children as soon as possible, even in the depths of the wilderness

Most land in Israel was assigned solely by random lot to avoid graft and favoritism. There were some exceptions, though. Two examples are the clan of Makhir and Caleb's son in law. Both received choice portions because they were exceptional warriors who ruthlessly dispossessed the previous inhabitants.