Numbers 36:1-13

G. THE MARRIAGE OF HEIRESSES (Numbers 36)

TEXT

Numbers 36:1. And 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 spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel: 2. And they said, The Lord commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters. 3. And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance. 4. And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribes whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers. 5. And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well. 6. This is the thing which the Lord doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry. 7. So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8. And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers. 9. Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance. 10. Even as the Lord commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelphehad: 11. For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers-' sons: 12. And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father. 13. These are the commandments and the judgments, which the Lord commanded, by the hand of Moses, unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 36:1. And the heads of the fathers-' households of the family of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the children of Joseph, approached unto Moses and the leaders, the heads of the fathers-' households of the children of Israel, 2. and said, The Lord commanded my lord to give the land by lot as an inheritance, and my lord was commanded by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters. 3. But if they marry any of the sons of other tribes of the children of Israel, their inheritance shall be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they then belong; in this way it shall be withdrawn from the lot of the inheritance. 4. And when the jubilee of the children of Israel comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they then belong; in this way their inheritance shall be withdrawn from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers. 5. So Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the Lord, saying, The tribe of the children of Joseph has spoken correctly. 6. This is what the Lord commanded regarding the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, -Let them marry whomever they choose; only let them marry within the family of the tribe of their father.-' 7. Thus no inheritance of the children of Israel shall be transferred from tribe to tribe; the children of Israel shall individually hold to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8. And every daughter who comes into the possession of an inheritance of any of the tribes of the children of Israel shall become the wife of one of the families of the tribe of her father, so that the children of Israel may each maintain his own inheritance. 10. So the daughters of Zelophehad did just as the Lord had commanded Moses: 11. Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, married their uncles-' sons. 12. They married into the families of the children of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained with the tribe of the family of their father. 13. These are the commandments and the laws which the Lord commanded unto the children of Israel through the hand of Moses in the plain of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.

COMMENTARY

In the previously introduced question about the laws of inheritance as they applied to the daughters of a man without sons, the legislation was aimed at preserving land holdings within the family and the tribe of the father. One circumstance had not been considered at that time: supposing the marriage of an inheriting daughter to a man of another tribe; did the land she had received from her father go with her as a possession of the tribe of her husband? The consequences of such a possibility are endless and, theoretically, very confusing. The matter of the Jubilee year is introduced since in that year all land was re-settled and all titles cleared for permanent ownership. Titles not challenged were considered settled; and the claims of the children of a legitimate heiress could not be called into question. Hence, parcels of land might readily and in some quantity escape the family and tribe for which they were intended, despite the obvious fact that an essential principle of ownership was being violated.

In answer to the problem, the simple answer is announced: the women who inherited land were forbidden to marry outside their tribes. The instance before us would mean that Zelophehad's daughters must marry men of Manasseh. Any further complications were avoided when they actually married their father's brothers-' sons, (Numbers 36:11). The complications of marriage outside the family would be similar to those of marriage outside the tribe; hence, the solution of Zelophehad's daughters was an ideal one.

A single brief sentence summarizes much of the content and intent of Numbers: to present the commandments and judgments given by the Lord through Moses to Israel during their last days in Moab opposite Jericho. The many interesting and informative facts of history contained in the book are of secondary importance when compared with the words spoken of God for the common welfare. On the same principle, the details of history reflect the degree to which men have followed or disregarded such words; and the men are themselves justified or condemned upon the basis. Knowing now the general regulations which are intended to govern their lives in the land which God has prepared for them, the Israelites are but briefly removed from that day when they will cross the Jordan and inhabit the land of milk and honey.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

675.

Review the situation with Zelophehad's daughters, and the verdict rendered at that time.

676.

What complications would arise if any of the daughters were to marry outside the tribe of Manasseh?

677.

How does the entire situation relate to the year of Jubilee?

678.

What simple regulation was pronounced for the problem?

679.

Why was it important that the marriages be consummated within family groups?

680.

What advantage was there in settling such issues as this before the land of Canaan was actually taken?