1Die Väterhäupter der Sippe der Söhne Gilads Sohns Machirs Sohns Mnasches von den Sippen der Söhne Jossefs nahten, sie redeten vor Mosche und vor den Fürsten, den Väterhäuptern der Söhne Jissraels, 2sie sprachen: Meinem Herrn hat ER geboten, das Land den Söhnen Jissraels durchs Los zu Eigentum zu geben, und meinem Herrn ist von IHM geboten worden, das Eigentum Zlofchads unsres Bruders seinen Töchtern zu geben. 3Werden sie nun einem von den Söhnen der Zweige der Söhne Jissraels zu Ehefrauen, wird ihr Eigentum von dem Eigentum unsrer Väter abgestrichen und dem Eigentum des Stabs zugelegt, derer sie werden, von dem Los unsres Eigentums also wird es abgestrichen. 4Ob auch der Heimholer für die Söhne Jissraels kommt, ihr Eigentum bleibt dem Eigentum des Stabs zugelegt, derer sie werden, und von dem Eigentum des Stabs unsrer Väter ist ihr Eigentum abzustreichen.. 5Mosche gebot den Söhnen Jissraels auf SEIN Geheiß, sprechend: Gegründet redet der Stab der Söhne Jossefs. 6Dies ist die Rede, die ER für die Töchter Zlofchads geboten hat, sprechend: Dem, der ihren Augen wohlgefällt, sollen sie zu Ehefrauen werden, jedoch der Sippe des Stabs ihres Vaters müssen sie zu Ehefrauen werden, 7daß das Eigentum der Söhne Jissraels nicht kreise von Stab zu Stab, sondern die Söhne Jissraels sollen verhaftet sein, die Mannschaft dem Eigentum des Stabs ihrer Väter. 8Und jede Tochter, die Eigentum erbt, von den Stäben der Söhne Jissraels, einem von der Sippe des Stabs ihres Vaters werde sie zur Ehefrau, damit die Söhne Jissraels erben, die Mannschaft das Eigentum ihrer Väter. 9Nicht kreise Eigentum von Stab zu anderm Stab, sondern die Stäbe der Söhne Jissraels sollen verhaftet sein, die Mannschaft ihrem Eigentum. 10Wie ER Mosche geboten hatte, so taten die Töchter Zlofchads: 11Machla, Tirza und Chogla, Milka und Noa, die Töchter Zlofchads wurden den Söhnen ihrer Oheime zu Ehefrauen, 12denen aus den Sippen der Söhne Mnasches Sohns Jossefs wurden sie zu Ehefrauen, ihr Eigentum blieb beim Stab der Sippe ihres Vaters.. 13Dieses sind die Gebote und die Rechtsgeheiße, die ER durch Mosche den Söhnen Jissraels gebot in den Steppen Moabs am Jericho-Jordan.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 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, knowing whom they had trusted. In their appeal observe, 1. They fairly recite the former order made in this case, and do not move to have that set aside, but are very willing to acquiesce in it (
Num 36:2):
The Lord commanded to give the inheritance of Zelophehad to his daughters; and they are very well pleased that it should be so, none of them knowing but that hereafter it might be the case of their own families, and then their daughters would have the benefit of this law. 2. They represent the inconvenience which might, possibly, follow hereupon, if the daughters of Zelophehad should see cause to marry into any other tribes,
Num 36:3. And it is probable that this was not a bare surmise, or supposition, but that they knew, at this time, great court was made to them by some young gentlemen of other tribes, because they were heiresses, that they might get footing in this tribe, and so enlarge their own inheritance. This truly is often aimed at more than it should be in making marriages, not the meetness of the person, but the convenience of the estate, to
lay house to house, and field to field. Wisdom indeed is good with an inheritance; but what is an inheritance good for in that relation without wisdom? But here, we may presume, the personal merit of these daughters recommended them as well as their fortunes; however, the heads of their tribe foresaw the mischief that would follow, and brought the case to Moses, that he might consult the oracle of God concerning it. The difficulty they start God could have obviated and provided against in the former order given in this case; but to teach us that we must, in our affairs, not only attend God's providence, but make use of our own prudence, God did not direct in it till the themselves that were concerned wisely foresaw the inconvenience, and piously applied to Moses for a rule in it. For though they were chief fathers in their families, and might have assumed a power to overrule these daughters of Zelophehad in disposing of themselves, especially their father being dead and the common interest of their tribe being concerned in it, yet they chose rather to refer the matter to Moses, and it issued well. We should not covet to be judges in our own case, for it is difficult to be so without being partial. It is easier in many cases to take good advice than to give it, and it is a satisfaction to be under direction. Two things they aimed at in their representation: - (1.) To preserve the divine appointment of inheritances. They urged the command (
Num 36:2), that the land should be given by lot to the respective tribes, and urged that it would break in upon the divine appointment if such a considerable part of the lot of Manasseh should, by their marriage, be transferred to any other tribe; for the issue would be denominated from the father's tribe, not the mother's. This indeed would not lessen the lot of the particular persons of that tribe (they would have their own still), but it would lessen the lot of the tribe in general, and render it less strong and considerable; they therefore thought themselves concerned for the reputation of their tribe, and perhaps were the more jealous for it because it was already very much weakened by the sitting down of the one half of it on this side Jordan. (2.) To prevent contests and quarrels among posterity. If those of other tribes should come among them perhaps it might occasion some contests. They would be apt to give and receive disturbance, and their title might, in process of time, come to be questioned; and how great a matter would this fire kindle! It is the wisdom and duty of those that have estates in the world to settle them, and dispose of them, so as that no strife and contention may arise about them among posterity.
5 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
well done, but their
well said, good and faithful servant. Now the matter is thus accommodated: these heiresses must be obliged to marry, not only within their own tribe of Manasseh, but within the particular family of the Hepherites, to which they did belong. 1. They are not determined to any particular persons; there was choice enough in the family of their father:
Let them marry to whom they think best. As children must preserve the authority of their parents, and not marry against their minds, so parents must consult the affections of their children in disposing of them, and not compel them to marry such as they cannot love. Forced marriages are not likely to prove blessings. 2. Yet they are confined to their own relations, that their inheritance may not go to another family. God would have them know that the land being to be divided by lot, the disposal whereof was of the Lord, they could not mend, and therefore should not alter, his appointment. The inheritances must not
remove from tribe to tribe (
Num 36:7), lest there should be confusion among them, their estates entangled, and their genealogies perplexed. God would not have one tribe to be enriched by the straitening and impoverishing of another, since they were all alike the seed of Abraham his friend.
II. The law, in this particular case, was made perpetual, and to be observed whenever hereafter the like case should happen,
Num 36:8. Those that were not heiresses might marry into what tribe they pleased (though we may suppose that, ordinarily, they kept within their own tribe), but those that were must either quit their claim to the inheritance or marry one of their own family, that each of the tribes might keep to its own inheritance, and one tribe might not encroach upon another, but throughout their generations there might remain immovable the ancient landmarks, set, not by their fathers, but by the
God of their fathers. III. The submission of the daughters of Zelophehad to this appointment. How could they but marry well, and to their satisfaction, when God himself directed them? They married their father's brothers' sons,
Num 36:10-
Num 36:12. By this it appears, 1. That the marriage of cousin-germans is not in itself unlawful, nor within the degrees prohibited, for then God would not have countenanced these marriages. But, 2. That ordinarily it is not advisable; for, if there had not been a particular reason for it (which cannot hold in any case now, inheritances being not disposed of as then by the special designation of Heaven), they would not have married such near relations. The world is wide, and he that walks uprightly will endeavour to walk surely.
IV. The conclusion of this whole book, referring to the latter part of it:
These are the judgments which the Lord commanded in the plains of Moab (
Num 36:13), these foregoing, ever since ch. 26, most of which related to their settlement in Canaan, into which they were now entering. Whatever new condition God is by his providence bringing us into, we must beg of him to teach us the duty of it, and to enable us to do it, that we may do the work of the day in its day, of the place in its place.
