Numbers 36:2 - They said, “Yahweh commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel. My lord was commanded by Yahweh to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.
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What does "Numbers 36:2" mean?
This verse in Numbers 36:2 contains a key argument presented by the heads of the clan of Joseph to Moses and the Israelite leaders. Let's break it down:
"They said, 'Yahweh commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel.'" This part establishes the basis of Israelite land distribution. God (Yahweh) commanded that the land of Canaan be divided among the tribes of Israel through a system of casting lots. This ensured a somewhat fair and divinely-sanctioned division, avoiding accusations of favoritism. "My lord" refers to Moses, the leader of the Israelites at the time.
"My lord was commanded by Yahweh to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters." This refers back to a previous ruling in Numbers 27. Zelophehad died without sons, and his daughters (Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah) petitioned Moses for their father's inheritance. God instructed Moses to grant their request, establishing a legal precedent that daughters could inherit their father's property if there were no sons. Zelophehad was part of the clan of Joseph, which is why they refer to him as "our brother".
Essentially, the people of the clan of Joseph are reminding Moses and the leaders of two divine commands:
1. The general command to divide the land by lot to the tribes.
2. The specific command to grant inheritance to Zelophehad's daughters.
The heads of the clan of Joseph use these two commands to introduce their concern. They fear that if Zelophehad's daughters marry outside their own tribe (Manasseh), the land will be transferred out of their tribal allotment, effectively diminishing their inheritance. Their argument in the subsequent verses builds on this foundation, appealing to God's will to preserve the tribal integrity of land ownership.
Numbers 36:2 - They said, “Yahweh commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel. My lord was commanded by Yahweh to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.
What does "Numbers 36:2" mean?
This verse in Numbers 36:2 contains a key argument presented by the heads of the clan of Joseph to Moses and the Israelite leaders. Let's break it down:
"They said, 'Yahweh commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the children of Israel.'" This part establishes the basis of Israelite land distribution. God (Yahweh) commanded that the land of Canaan be divided among the tribes of Israel through a system of casting lots. This ensured a somewhat fair and divinely-sanctioned division, avoiding accusations of favoritism. "My lord" refers to Moses, the leader of the Israelites at the time.
"My lord was commanded by Yahweh to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters." This refers back to a previous ruling in Numbers 27. Zelophehad died without sons, and his daughters (Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah) petitioned Moses for their father's inheritance. God instructed Moses to grant their request, establishing a legal precedent that daughters could inherit their father's property if there were no sons. Zelophehad was part of the clan of Joseph, which is why they refer to him as "our brother".
Essentially, the people of the clan of Joseph are reminding Moses and the leaders of two divine commands:
1. The general command to divide the land by lot to the tribes.
2. The specific command to grant inheritance to Zelophehad's daughters.
The heads of the clan of Joseph use these two commands to introduce their concern. They fear that if Zelophehad's daughters marry outside their own tribe (Manasseh), the land will be transferred out of their tribal allotment, effectively diminishing their inheritance. Their argument in the subsequent verses builds on this foundation, appealing to God's will to preserve the tribal integrity of land ownership.