Numbers 36:4 - When the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then will their inheritance be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong. So their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”
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What does "Numbers 36:4" mean?
This verse from Numbers 36:4 is part of a larger issue regarding the daughters of Zelophehad and inheritance in ancient Israel. To understand it, we need some context:
The Daughters of Zelophehad: Zelophehad died without sons, and his daughters petitioned Moses for their father's inheritance. God granted their request (Numbers 27:1-11), establishing a precedent that daughters could inherit land if there were no sons.
Inheritance and Tribal Lands: In ancient Israel, land was allocated to each tribe and then further divided among the families within that tribe. Maintaining these tribal lands was crucial for preserving tribal identity and ensuring each tribe had its allotted territory.
Marriage Considerations: The daughters of Zelophehad were instructed to marry within their own tribe (Numbers 36:6-9). This was to prevent the land from passing into another tribe if they married outside it.
With that context, let's break down Numbers 36:4:
"When the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be..." The Jubilee was a special year (occurring every 50 years) in ancient Israel. During the Jubilee, land that had been sold or alienated would return to its original owner or their family.
"...then will their inheritance be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong..." This refers to what would happen at the Jubilee if the daughters of Zelophehad married outside their tribe. Their inheritance (the land they received from their father) would be added to the inheritance (the land allocation) of their husband's tribe. In other words, the land they inherited would effectively shift from their original tribe to their husband's tribe.
"...So their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.” This is the key concern expressed by the tribal leaders. If the daughters of Zelophehad married outside their tribe, at the Jubilee, their land would be permanently lost to their original tribe ("the tribe of our fathers"). This would diminish the land of their tribe and potentially upset the balance of tribal territories.
In summary, the verse addresses the potential problem of land shifting from one tribe to another through inheritance and marriage, particularly concerning daughters who inherited land. The verse highlights the concern that at the Jubilee year, if these daughters married outside their tribe, their land would be permanently transferred to their husband's tribe, thereby diminishing the land of their original tribe. This is the reason why the daughters of Zelophehad were later commanded to only marry within their own tribe to preserve tribal land ownership.
Numbers 36:4 - When the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then will their inheritance be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong. So their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.”
What does "Numbers 36:4" mean?
This verse from Numbers 36:4 is part of a larger issue regarding the daughters of Zelophehad and inheritance in ancient Israel. To understand it, we need some context:
The Daughters of Zelophehad: Zelophehad died without sons, and his daughters petitioned Moses for their father's inheritance. God granted their request (Numbers 27:1-11), establishing a precedent that daughters could inherit land if there were no sons.
Inheritance and Tribal Lands: In ancient Israel, land was allocated to each tribe and then further divided among the families within that tribe. Maintaining these tribal lands was crucial for preserving tribal identity and ensuring each tribe had its allotted territory.
Marriage Considerations: The daughters of Zelophehad were instructed to marry within their own tribe (Numbers 36:6-9). This was to prevent the land from passing into another tribe if they married outside it.
With that context, let's break down Numbers 36:4:
"When the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be..." The Jubilee was a special year (occurring every 50 years) in ancient Israel. During the Jubilee, land that had been sold or alienated would return to its original owner or their family.
"...then will their inheritance be added to the inheritance of the tribe to which they shall belong..." This refers to what would happen at the Jubilee if the daughters of Zelophehad married outside their tribe. Their inheritance (the land they received from their father) would be added to the inheritance (the land allocation) of their husband's tribe. In other words, the land they inherited would effectively shift from their original tribe to their husband's tribe.
"...So their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.” This is the key concern expressed by the tribal leaders. If the daughters of Zelophehad married outside their tribe, at the Jubilee, their land would be permanently lost to their original tribe ("the tribe of our fathers"). This would diminish the land of their tribe and potentially upset the balance of tribal territories.
In summary, the verse addresses the potential problem of land shifting from one tribe to another through inheritance and marriage, particularly concerning daughters who inherited land. The verse highlights the concern that at the Jubilee year, if these daughters married outside their tribe, their land would be permanently transferred to their husband's tribe, thereby diminishing the land of their original tribe. This is the reason why the daughters of Zelophehad were later commanded to only marry within their own tribe to preserve tribal land ownership.