The term "parceled" refers to the division or distribution of land, property, or inheritance. In the biblical context, this concept is often associated with the allocation of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel, as well as the division of inheritances among family members. The act of parceling land is significant in understanding the fulfillment of God's promises and the maintenance of order and justice within the community of Israel.

Biblical Context

1. Division of the Promised Land: The most prominent example of parceling in the Bible is the division of the Promised Land among the twelve tribes of Israel. After the Israelites entered Canaan under the leadership of Joshua, the land was divided by lot as an inheritance for each tribe. This process is detailed in the Book of Joshua, where the land is apportioned according to God's instructions. Joshua 14:2 states, "Their inheritance was assigned by lot for the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses."

2. Inheritance Laws: The concept of parceling is also evident in the laws concerning inheritance. The Mosaic Law provided specific guidelines for the distribution of property among family members to ensure that each tribe and family retained its allotted inheritance. Numbers 27:7-11 outlines the laws of inheritance, emphasizing the importance of maintaining family and tribal land holdings.

3. Prophetic Warnings: The prophets often spoke against the unjust parceling of land, which was a violation of God's laws. In Micah 2:2 , the prophet condemns those who covet fields and seize them, saying, "They covet fields and seize them; they take houses and deprive a man of his inheritance." Such actions were seen as a direct affront to the divine order established by God.

4. Jubilee and Restoration: The Year of Jubilee, as described in Leviticus 25, was a time when land that had been sold or lost was to be returned to its original family owners. This ensured that the land parcels remained within the tribes and families to whom they were originally given. Leviticus 25:13 states, "In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his own property."

Theological Significance

The parceling of land in the Bible is deeply connected to the covenantal promises of God. The distribution of the Promised Land was a tangible fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants. It also served as a means of establishing a just and orderly society, where each tribe and family had a stake in the land and a responsibility to uphold God's laws.

The concept of parceling underscores the importance of stewardship and the recognition that the land ultimately belongs to God. The Israelites were to manage their inheritance in accordance with divine principles, reflecting God's justice and righteousness in their dealings with one another.(imp. & p. p.) of Parcel.2505a. chalaq -- to divide, share
... disperse (1), distribute (1), distributed (2), divide (12), divided (18), divides
(1), dividing (2), given her a share (1), parcel (1), parceled (1), partner (1 ...
/hebrew/2505a.htm - 6k

2673. chatsah -- to divide
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to divide NASB Word Usage divide (4), divided
(7), live out half (1), parceled (1), reaches (1), separated (1). ...
/hebrew/2673.htm - 6k

The Christian Business World
... Nations have parceled out the earth amongst themselves and claim ownership.
Men hold the titles of lands under the laws of the nations. ...
/.../sell/studies in the life of the christian/study xi the christian business.htm

The Nearness of the Kingdom
... If I am to know real existence, I must know it as it is in itself, not as it is
parceled out in creatures. The whole Being of God is contained in God alone. ...
/.../eckhart/meister eckharts sermons/ii the nearness of the.htm

Conflicts of the Church with Public Wrongs.
... As a sure expedient for securing popular consent to the intended infamy, the farms
of the Cherokees were parceled out to be drawn for in a lottery, and the ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xvi conflicts of the.htm

The Great Reservoir
... Thus wrote Spencer in days long gone by: "Indeed, by nature man's heart is a very
divided, broken thing, scattered and parceled out, a piece to this creature ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the great reservoir.htm

The Great Reservoir
... Thus wrote Spencer in days long gone by: "Indeed, by nature, man's heart is a very
divided, broken thing, scattered and parceled out, a piece to this creature ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the great reservoir.htm

Parceled (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Parcel. Multi-Version Concordance
Parceled (2 Occurrences). Daniel 11:4 and according to ...
/p/parceled.htm - 7k

Parcel (10 Occurrences)

/p/parcel.htm - 11k

Parcels (2 Occurrences)

/p/parcels.htm - 7k

Governor (78 Occurrences)
... Under Augustus the provinces were parceled out between the emperor and the senate,
the former reserving for himself such as seemed to require the maintenance ...
/g/governor.htm - 48k

Empire (8 Occurrences)
... The empire was again parceled out to the sons of Constantine, one of whom,
Constantius, succeeded in again reuniting it (350 AD). ...
/e/empire.htm - 80k

Roman (26 Occurrences)
... The empire was again parceled out to the sons of Constantine, one of whom,
Constantius, succeeded in again reuniting it (350 AD). ...
/r/roman.htm - 101k

Christianity
... The empire was again parceled out to the sons of Constantine, one of whom,
Constantius, succeeded in again reuniting it (350 AD). ...
/c/christianity.htm - 101k

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