Jewish tradition grapples with this very question, particularly when it comes to the Land of Israel.

The Book of Numbers, Bamidbar in Hebrew, presents a fascinating puzzle in chapter 26. It states, "To these the land shall be distributed [as an inheritance, according to the number of names]" (Numbers 26:53). Who exactly are "these?" The people standing on the plains of Moab, ready to enter the Promised Land after forty long years of wandering.

But wait a minute. Didn't God promise the land to those who left Egypt? As we read in Exodus 6:8, "I will give it you as a heritage." So, why the delay? Why wasn't the land divided then?

The answer, according to Bamidbar Rabbah, lies in divine foresight. God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that certain families among the Israelites were destined to dwindle, to be "eliminated," as the text puts it. Think of it like this: Why give an inheritance to someone who won't be around to enjoy it?

Which families are we talking about? Well, let’s look at the tribes of Simeon and Benjamin. In Genesis 46:10, the sons of Simeon are listed: Yemuel, Yamin, Ohad, Yakhin, Zohar, and Shaul. Six in total. But when we get to Numbers 26:12 and the accounting of the Simeonite families, one is conspicuously missing.

A similar situation unfolds with Benjamin. Genesis 46:21 names ten sons: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Mupim, Hupim, and Ard. Yet, when Numbers 26:38-39 tallies the Benjamite families, only five are accounted for. Where did the others go?

Bamidbar Rabbah tells us that these missing families, these "six families," were affected by the "harlotry at the counsel of Bilam." This refers to the incident recounted in Numbers 25, where Israelite men engaged in idolatrous and immoral acts with Moabite women, leading to a devastating plague.

The text underscores a powerful, if sobering, point: "There is never a case [of harlotry] where it does not have its effect." Sin, transgression, has consequences. In this case, the consequences were severe enough to alter the very composition of the Israelite tribes.

So, because God foresaw this decline, this diminishment, He waited. He waited until the generation standing on the plains of Moab, a generation purified by hardship and repentance, was ready to receive the land. Only then did He declare, "To these the land shall be distributed."

It's a powerful reminder that timing is everything. Divine timing, especially. The promise wasn't broken; it was simply… deferred. Held back until the right moment, until the people were truly ready to receive their inheritance. It makes you wonder, what promises are waiting to be fulfilled in our lives, and what do we need to do to be ready to receive them?