
Numbers 36
Numbers 36 addresses the concerns of the heads of the families of the tribe of Manasseh regarding the inheritance of Zelophehad’s daughters. The chapter outlines the rules governing the marriage of female heirs to preserve the tribal inheritance within their own tribe. It concludes with Israelite law regarding inheritance, ensuring that no inheritance is transferred from one tribe to another.
Numbers 36:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Now the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the chief fathers of the children of Israel.
2 And they said: “The Lord commanded my lord Moses to give the land as an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel, and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters.
3 Now if they are married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and it will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so it will be taken from the lot of our inheritance.”
The tribal leaders of Manasseh raise a concern about Zelophehad's daughters, who were granted their father's inheritance. If they marry outside their tribe, their inheritance could be transferred to another tribe, reducing the land allocated to Manasseh. This would cause a shift in the tribal boundaries and inheritance laws. Their concern is that the tribal inheritance system, as directed by God, should remain intact and protected from external marriages.
Numbers 36:4 (NKJV)
4 And when the Jubilee of the children of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”
During the Jubilee year, which occurs every fifty years, land ownership reverts to its original family owners. However, if Zelophehad's daughters marry outside their tribe, their land would still transfer permanently to their husband's tribe during the Jubilee, compounding the issue. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining tribal integrity within the promised land.
Numbers 36:5-6 (NKJV)
5 Then Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying: “What the tribe of the sons of Joseph speaks is right.
6 This is what the Lord commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, ‘Let them marry whom they think best, but they may marry only within the family of their father’s tribe.’”
Moses, receiving guidance from the Lord, confirms the validity of Manasseh’s concern. He instructs that Zelophehad's daughters may marry whomever they choose but within their tribe. This ensures that the inheritance stays within the tribe and prevents any potential loss of land to other tribes, maintaining the balance and distribution of the land among the tribes of Israel.
Numbers 36:7-9 (NKJV)
7 So the inheritance of the children of Israel shall not change hands from tribe to tribe, for every one of the children of Israel shall keep the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
8 And every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel shall be the wife of one of the family of her father’s tribe, so that the children of Israel each may possess the inheritance of his fathers.
9 Thus no inheritance shall change hands from one tribe to another, but every tribe of the children of Israel shall keep its own inheritance.”
This law ensures that each tribe retains its inheritance by requiring daughters who inherit land to marry within their tribe. The primary goal is to preserve the tribal inheritance system. It reflects God’s intent for the division of the promised land, preventing any confusion or loss of tribal identity or land ownership.
Numbers 36:10-12 (NKJV)
10 Just as the Lord commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad;
11 for Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married to the sons of their father’s brothers.
12 They were married into the families of the children of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father’s family.
Zelophehad’s daughters obediently follow the Lord’s command and marry within their tribe, specifically their cousins. By doing so, they retain their father’s inheritance within the tribe of Manasseh. This demonstrates their willingness to honor God’s law and safeguard their tribal identity, ensuring that the land inheritance stays within their father’s family.
Numbers 36:13 (NKJV)
13 These are the commandments and the judgments which the Lord commanded the children of Israel by the hand of Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.
This concluding verse summarizes that these commandments concerning inheritance and marriage were given by the Lord through Moses to the Israelites as they were preparing to enter the promised land. The location, "plains of Moab by the Jordan," sets the scene for the final instructions before crossing into Canaan. The emphasis is on obedience to God’s laws to maintain order and fairness among the tribes.