Numbers 36

Numbers 36 is the final chapter of Numbers. In Numbers 27, the daughters of Zelophehad, who had died without sons, were permitted to receive their father's inheritance (land passed down from generation to generation). This chapter addresses a problem arising from that decision. It also rounds off the regulations on the division of the land of Canaan set out in chapters 34–35.

Outline

• Verses 1–4 The heads of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir and grandson of Manasseh, come before Moses and the princes. They argue that if the daughters of Zelophehad marry men from other tribes, their inheritance will pass to their husbands' tribes and will not return even at the Jubilee, thereby diminishing their own tribe's portion.
• Verses 5–9 By the word of the LORD, Moses affirms that the tribe of the sons of Joseph has spoken rightly. He commands that the daughters may marry whom they choose, provided they marry within the family of their father's tribe. This rule applies to every daughter who inherits and is intended to keep inheritances from passing from tribe to tribe.
• Verses 10–12 Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah do as commanded and marry the sons of their father's brothers, that is, their cousins. The inheritance therefore remains in the tribe of Manasseh.
• Verse 13 The Book of Numbers closes with the statement that these commandments and judgments were given in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, near Jericho.

Key Verses

• Numbers 36:7 "Every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers." — This summarizes the chapter's principle that the land is a portion entrusted to each tribe.
• Numbers 36:13 "These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel." — This is the closing statement of the entire Book of Numbers.

People and Places

• The daughters of Zelophehad: The five daughters of Zelophehad of the tribe of Manasseh. In this chapter their names are listed in a different order from that in Numbers 27.
• The heads of the families of the children of Gilead: Leaders of the clans descended from Gilead, the grandson of Manasseh; they belong to the same clan as Zelophehad.
• Moses: He conveys the word of the LORD and delivers the ruling.
• Place: The plains of Moab by the Jordan River, near Jericho.

Points for Reflection

• Whereas chapter 27 recognized a daughter's right to inherit, this chapter reconciles that right with the principle of preserving tribal land. Some interpreters read it as a precedent that expanded women's rights, while others read it as a limitation that gave priority to tribal order.
• The plea in verse 4 rests on the fact that land that has been sold returns to its original owner at the Jubilee, whereas an inheritance transferred through marriage does not. This regulation is therefore read alongside the Jubilee law of Leviticus 25.
• The account of the daughters actually receiving their land appears in Joshua 17.
• The New Testament does not quote this chapter directly. However, some readers connect its theme with passages such as 1 Peter 1:4, which speaks of an inheritance reserved in heaven.