Numbers 36:3-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 36:1-4

We have here the humble address which the heads of the tribe of Manasseh made to Moses and the princes, on occasion of the order lately made concerning the daughters of Zelophehad. The family they belonged to was part of that half of the tribe of Manasseh which we yet to have their lot within Jordan, not that half that was already settled; and yet they speak of the land of their possession, and the inheritance of their fathers, with as great assurance as if they had it already in their hands,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 36:5-13

Here is, I. The matter settled by express order from God between the daughters of Zelophehad and the rest of the tribe of Manasseh. The petition is assented to, and care taken to prevent the inconvenience feared: The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well, Num. 36:5. Thus those that consult the oracles of God concerning the making of their heavenly inheritance sure shall not only be directed what to do, but their enquiries shall be graciously accepted, and they shall have not only their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 36:3

And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel ,.... Which was not an unreasonable supposition, and perhaps was judged very probable and likely, if some method was not taken to prevent it; which they might conclude from the application of some young men of the other tribes unto them: 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 ; for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 36:4

And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be ,.... At which time inheritances were to be restored to the original proprietors of them; yet this would be of no service in the present case, but rather the contrary, since it would fix the inheritances of these daughters in another tribe or in other tribes into which they should marry; and so Aben Ezra and Jarchi interpret it, "though" there shall be a jubilee, that will be of no advantage; it will not remedy this inconvenience: for ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 36:5

And Moses commanded the children of Israel ,.... Even all the tribes of Israel, whom the following law concerned, as well as the tribe of Manasseh: according to the word of the Lord ; whom no doubt he consulted on this occasion, as he did when the daughters of Zelophehad applied unto him about the inheritance of their father: saying, the tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well ; in showing such a concern for the welfare of their tribe; the consideration of which would be of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 36:6

This is the thing which the Lord doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad ,.... Concerning this affair relative to them; the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases the words,"not for the generations that rise up after the division of the land, but for the daughters of Zelophehad;'as if this order only respected them, or what might happen before the land was divided, but not after; and this is the general opinion of the Jewish writers; but it seems, that as the following law not only... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 36:7

So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe ,.... Which shows that this concerns all the tribes of Israel, though yet not fully expressed, as it is afterwards: for everyone of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers ; or cleave F1 to a wife in that tribe for marriage; this word is used in the original institution of it, Genesis 2:24 though they were not strictly obliged to marry in their own... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 36:8

And every daughter that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe if the children of Israel ,.... For the same law which gave the daughters of Zelophehad right to their father's inheritance, gave every other daughter in Israel a right to inherit where there were no sons, Numbers 27:8 and every such daughter, according to this law: shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father ; marry into her father's tribe and family; by which it appears that such who were not heiresses... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 36:9

Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another ,.... Which was one end of the year of jubilee, but that did not sufficiently secure it without this law, as this case shows: but everyone of the tribes of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance ; the chief view of which was, that it might clearly appear of what tribe and family the Messiah sprang when he came. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 36:6

Let them marry to whom they think best - Here was latitude sufficient, and yet a salutary and reasonable restraint, which prevented a vexatious mixture of property and possession. read more

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