Numbers 27:9

27:1-11 The five daughters of Zelophehad considered themselves as left destitute, having neither father nor brother to inherit any land. Their believing expectation that the word of the Lord would be performed in due season, and their desire of an interest in the promised inheritance; and the modest, candid manner in which they asked, without secret murmurs or discontents, are a good example. They ask for a possession in the land of Canaan. Herein they discovered, 1. Strong faith in the power and promise of God, concerning the giving of the land of Canaan to Israel. 2. And earnest desire of a place and name in the land of promise, which was a type of heaven. 3. Respect and honour for their father, whose name was dear to them now he was gone. He never had done any thing that might bar his children's claim. It is a comfort to parents when they come to die, if though they have smarted for their own sin, yet they are not conscious of any of those iniquities which God will visit on their children. God himself gives judgment. He takes notice of the affairs, not only of nations, but of private families, and orders them according to his will. The petition is granted. Those who seek an inheritance in the land of promise, shall have what they seek for, and other things shall be added to them.

And if he have no daughter,.... Dies without any issue: then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren; and the children descending from them; that is, if his father was dead; otherwise, if he was living, he was to be preferred to them, according to the Jewish writers; though, according to our law, no estate in fee simple ascends lineally, or goes from a son, who has made a purchase of it, to a father: in the Misnah it is said (x), the order of inheritances is thus,"if a man dies and has no son, then they cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter; a son is before a daughter, and all that descend from the son are before the daughter; the daughter is before the brethren (of her father), and those that descend from the daughter are before the brethren; the brethren (of a man) are before his father's brethren (or his uncles); and they that descend from his brethren are before his father's brethren: this is the general rule, everyone that is before in the inheritance, those that descend from him are before others, and a father is before all that descend from him.'' (x) Ut supra, (Bava Bathra, c. 8.) sect. 2.

4. Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father—Those young women perceived that the males only in families had been registered in the census. Because there were none in their household, their family was omitted. So they made known their grievance to Moses, and the authorities conjoined with him in administering justice. The case was important; and as the peculiarity of daughters being the sole members of a family would be no infrequent or uncommon occurrence, the law of inheritance, under divine authority, was extended not only to meet all similar cases, but other cases also—such as when there were no children left by the proprietor, and no brothers to succeed him. A distribution of the promised land was about to be made; and it is interesting to know the legal provision made in these comparatively rare cases for preserving a patrimony from being alienated to another tribe. (See on [94]Nu 36:5).

On this occasion God issued a general law of inheritance, which was to apply to all cases as "a statute of judgment" (or right), i.e., a statute determining right. If any one died without leaving a son, his landed property was to pass to his daughter (or daughters); in default of daughters, to his brothers; in the absence of brothers, to his paternal uncles; and if there were none of them, to his next of kin. - On the intention of this law, see my Archaeol. 142 (ii. pp. 212, 213); and on the law of inheritance generally, see J. Selden, de success. ad leges Hebr. in bona defunctorum, Fkft. a. O. 1695.

[Bible] 26:60. Of Aaron were born Nadab and Abiu, and Eleazar and Ithamar: 26:61. Of whom Nadab and Abiu died, when they had offered the strange fire before the Lord. 26:62. And all that were numbered, were twenty-three thousand males from one month old and upward: for they were not reckoned up among the children of Israel, neither was a possession given to them with the rest. 26:63. This is the number of the children of Israel, that were enrolled by Moses and Eleazar the priest, in the plains of Moab upon the Jordan, over against Jericho. 26:64. Among whom there was not one of them that were numbered before by Moses and Aaron in the desert of Sinai. 26:65. For the Lord had foretold that they should die in the wilderness. And none remained of them, but Caleb the son of Jephone, and Josue the son of Nun. Numbers Chapter 27 The law of inheritance. Josue is appointed to succeed Moses. 27:1. Then came the daughters of Salphaad, the son of Hepher, the son of Galaad, the son of Machir, the son of Manasses, who was the son of Joseph: and their names are Maala, and Noa, and Hegla, and Melcha, and Thersa. 27:2. And they stood before Moses and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the people at the door of the tabernacle of the covenant, and said: 27:3. Our father died in the desert, and was not in the sedition, that was raised against the Lord under Core, but he died in his own sin: and he had no male children. Why is his name taken away out of his family, because he had no son? Give us a possession among the kinsmen of our father. 27:4. And Moses referred their cause to the judgment of the Lord. 27:5. And the Lord said to him: 27:6. The daughters of Salphaad demand a just thing: Give them a possession among their father's kindred, and let them succeed him in his inheritance. 27:7. And to the children of Israel thou shalt speak these things: 27:8. When a man dieth without a son, his inheritance shall pass to his daughter. 27:9. If he have no daughter, his brethren shall succeed him.

[Reformed Biblical] enly Canaan, whereof this was a type, did belong no less to women than to men, Gal_3:28. ## The inheritance of their fathers, i.e. which belonged to their fathers in case they had lived. Numbers 27:8 Numbers 27:9 Numbers 27:10 ## No brethren, nor sisters, as appears from Num_27:8. Numbers 27:11 ## A statute of judgment; a statute or rule by which the magistrate shall give judgment in such cases. Numbers 27:12 The whole tract of mountains was called ## Abarim, Num_33:47, whereof one of the highest was called Nebo , Deu_32:49, and the top of that, Pisgah , Deu_34:1. Numbers 27:13 ## Gathered unto thy people; of which phrase see Gen_15:15 25:8 . Numbers 27:14 ## In Kadesh: this is added to distinguish this miscarriage of Moses from that of the people in Rephidim, Exo_17:7. Numbers 27:15 Numbers 27:16 ## All flesh, i.e. of all men; the Searcher of spirits, that knowest who is fit for this great employment; the Father, and Giver, and Governor of spirits, who canst raise and suit the spirits of men to the highest and hardest works, as thou didst those Num_11:16 ,17 . See Num_16:22. Numbers 27:17 i.e. Which may wisely conduct them in all their affairs, both when they go forth to war, or upon other occasions, and when they return home and live in peace. A metaphor from shepherds, as it here follows, which in those places used not to go behind their sheep, as ours now do, but before them, and to lead them forth to their pasture, and in due time to lead them home again.

[Reformed Biblical] er son of Asher named, to wit, Ishuah , whose family seems now to be lost. Numbers 26:45 Numbers 26:46 Who seems to be here mentioned because she was a woman of masculine wisdom, or courage, or other virtue. Numbers 26:47 Whereas they were only 41,500 in Num_1:41. Numbers 26:48 Numbers 26:49 Numbers 26:50 Numbers 26:51 Very nigh as many as the re were before, Num_1:46. So wisely and marvellously did God at the same time manifest his justice in cutting off so vast a number, and his mercy in giving such a speedy and numerous supply, and his truth in both. Numbers 26:52 Numbers 26:53 ## Unto these; to these families now mentioned. ## The land shall be divided, by lot, Num_26:55. The land was divided into nine parts and a half, respect being had in such division to the goodness as well as to the largeness of the several portions, and the lot gave each tribe their part. ## Of names, i.e. of the persons, names being oft put for persons, a

The patriarch then stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraim's head, and placed his left upon the head of Manasseh (crossing his arms therefore), to bless Joseph in his sons. "Guiding his hands wittingly;" i.e., he placed his hands in this manner intentionally. Laying on the hand, which is mentioned here for the first time in the Scriptures, was a symbolical sign, by which the person acting transferred to another a spiritual good, a supersensual power or gift; it occurs elsewhere in connection with dedication to an office ( Numbers 27:18 , Numbers 27:23 ; Deuteronomy 34:9 ; Matthew 19:13 ; Acts 6:6 ; Acts 8:17 , etc.), with the sacrifices, and with the cures performed by Christ and the apostles.