Numbers 36:6

“This is the thing which the Lord doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, etc.] 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 concerns them, but all heiresses, so all such after as well as before the division of the land, since the reason of it holds good after as before: saying, let them marry to whom they think best; whom they…”

“The daughters of Zelophehad had obtained an ordinance Numbers 28:6-11 which permitted the daughters of an Israelite dying without male issue to inherit their father’s property. The chiefs of the Machirites, of whom Zelophehad had been one, now obtain a supplemental enactment, directing that heiresses should marry within their own tribe. Numbers 36:4 Be taken away - i. e. be permanently taken away. The jubilee year, by not restoring the estate to the tribe to which it originally belonged, would in effect confirm the alienation. Numbers 36:11 Unto their father’s brothers’ sons - Or more generally, “unto the sons of their kinsmen.” return to 'Top of Page' Footnotes: Copyright Statement These…”

“To the family - They seem hereby to he confined not only to the same tribe, but also to the family of their tribe, as appears from the reason of the law, for God would have the inheritance of families as well as tribes kept entire and unmixed. Numbers 36:8”

“36:6-9 These stipulations resolved the quandary, guaranteeing the stability and continuity of the tribal land allotments.”

“marry: Heb. be wives only to the family: Num 36:12; Gen 24:3, Gen 24:57, Gen 24:58; Co2 6:14 Numbers 36:7”